The 2023 White Paper committed to reviewing the Commission’s fees to ensure sufficient resources to deliver its core responsibilities and the commitments outlined in the Gambling Act Review. The consultation findings now provide clarity on the Commission’s future income for the coming years.
Overall, licence fees will rise by 25 percent, though changes will vary depending on the type of operating licence. New fee categories will also be introduced for most licences. Operators are strongly encouraged to review the annexes to the Government’s consultation response to understand how these changes affect their business.
Key points include:
- Fees for society lotteries will remain unchanged.
- A new calculation system will apply to non-remote general betting limited licence holders.
- Personal licence fees will increase by a flat 25 percent.
- These changes are subject to secondary legislation and will take effect on 1 October 2026.
In the coming weeks, the Commission will contact operators with further details, including alignment to any new categories. The criteria for revised fee categories are set out in the DCMS consultation response, and operators’ submitted regulatory return data for 2025–2026 will determine their new category.
For more information, visit the DCMS consultation response webpage.
