The Gambling Policy Commission is today launching an independent review of the legislative framework governing gambling in the UK, alongside an open call for evidence.
The review comes over 20 years after the publication of the Gambling Review Report, commonly known as the Budd Report, and the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005. The Commission leading the review is made up of some of Britain’s leading economists, including former advisers to the Bank of England, HM Treasury, the Independent Football Regulator and the Social Mobility Commission.
Gambling is a popular leisure activity with a longstanding place in British culture, from the National Lottery and bingo to betting on horseracing, football and other sports. For many adults, it is a source of entertainment and social enjoyment.
At the same time, the development of addictive digital products has led to gambling-related harm becoming widely recognised as a public health issue. Note though that the data on harm have often been contested, making public policy, treatment provision and legal liability in this area a challenge. More work is needed to understand fully the nature and cost of that harm, and how it can be prevented.
Official statistics illustrate the sector’s economic footprint. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) estimates that gambling contributed £5 billion to UK gross value added (GVA) in 2024, and accounted for around 75,000 jobs in 2025. Gambling GVA is the lowest of any DCMS sector. However, HM Revenue & Customs still recorded £3.9 billion in betting and gaming duties in the 2025/26 financial year – a figure that will continue to rise, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
The 2005 Act has been repeatedly criticised by politicians and experts as ‘analogue legislation’ not fit for the digital age. Since the Act was introduced, there have been significant changes in the ways in which gambling is accessed and provided, alongside the development of new technologies, products and markets. The nature of harm has also evolved and needs to be understood better.
Although a Gambling White Paper was published in 2023, setting out a programme of regulatory reform, and subsequent changes have been made to gambling taxation, there continue to be calls within Parliament to examine the fundamentals of the Gambling Act 2005.
The Commission has therefore been established to undertake an independent, evidence-based assessment of the existing framework and to consider whether further reform, including potential new primary legislation, may be required.
Members of the Commission have been drawn from a range of backgrounds, including economics, law, public policy, health, academia and sport. They are: Philippe Auclair, Professor Chris Bojke, Peter Kellner CBE, Professor Lindsey Macmillan, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Dr James Noyes, Professor Janet O’Sullivan and Thomas Savill.
The group is chaired by Jagjit Chadha OBE, professor of economics at the University of Cambridge. James Reade, professor of economics at the University of Reading, is serving as the Commission’s chief economist.
As part of its review, the Gambling Policy Commission is inviting written evidence from interested individuals and organisations.
The Commission welcomes submissions from researchers, consumers, gambling operators, trade bodies, treatment and prevention organisations, sports organisations, regulators, policy-makers and others with relevant experience or evidence.
Submissions may address any aspect of the Commission’s work, including: the operation of the Gambling Act 2005; the impact of reforms arising from the 2023 Gambling White Paper; gambling taxation and its economic effects; illicit and offshore gambling; gambling-related harm; consumer rights and protections; gambling and sport; technological innovation and emerging gambling products; and the structure and coordination of gambling regulation across government.
The Commission particularly welcomes empirical evidence, research, data and international comparisons.
Professor Jagjit Chadha, chair of the Gambling Policy Commission, said:
‘The last comprehensive independent review of gambling legislation was undertaken a quarter of a century ago. Since then, both the gambling market and the wider technological environment have changed considerably.
‘Our purpose is to examine the evidence carefully and independently: to understand how the existing framework has operated, assess the impact of more recent reforms, and consider what legislative and regulatory framework will be appropriate for the years ahead.
‘We want to hear from people and organisations with experience, evidence and expertise across all sides of this debate.’
Will Hutton FAcSS, President of the Academy of Social Sciences, said:
‘This is a welcome initiative by an impressive group of economists and public policy experts. The arrival of prediction markets growing rapidly in scale and reach only underlines how the 2005 Gambling Act has been superseded by the march of technology. Everything from consumer protection to appropriate tax policies need urgent review. I look forward to the results’
Evidence should be submitted in PDF format at www.gampol.org/call-for-evidence. This portal will close on Friday 12 February 2027.
The Commission aims to publish submissions received through the call for evidence. Contributors should indicate clearly through the portal if any part of their submission is confidential or not intended for publication.
Notes for Editors
The Gambling Policy Commission is an independent group of experts established to review the legislative and regulatory framework governing gambling in the United Kingdom.
The Gambling Review Body, chaired by Sir Alan Budd, was established by the government in 2000 and published its report in 2001. Its recommendations informed the subsequent Gambling Act 2005.
The Gambling Act 2005 received Royal Assent on 7 April 2005.
The government published High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age in April 2023 following its review of the Gambling Act 2005.
The Gambling Policy Commission is independent of government, political parties, regulators and industry.
Jagjit Chadha OBE, chair of the Gambling Policy Commission, is a professor of economics at the University of Cambridge and served as director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) from 2016 to 2024. He has worked at the Bank of England on monetary policy, and has served as a specialist adviser to the House of Commons Treasury Committee and as an academic adviser to HM Treasury.
James Reade, chief economist of the Gambling Policy Commission, is a professor of economics at the University of Reading. His research focuses on applied econometrics and the economics of sport, including betting and prediction markets, market efficiency and decision-making.
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