UK watchdog boss outlines key reforms and actions to date

• UKGC’s boss, Tim Miller, spoke at the recent Peers for Gambling Reform Summit, where he ran a list of the regulator’s achievements
• Miller confirmed that the watchdog has been focusing on an evidence-led agenda and has doubled down on consumer-protection efforts
• Miller highlighted the fact that the regulator has been pushing against unauthorized websites by reporting them to search engine companies directly

Speaking at the Peers for Gambling Reform Summit last week, UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller took the opportunity to recap the progress that has been made in delivering and enacting important regulatory and market changes to the gambling industry in the country.

Miller began his speech by saying that the regulatory reform agenda has achieved numerous milestones but still has work to do to enact a sweeping and impactful reform.

UK regulator doubles down on delivering evidence-led changes

The executive director argued that the efforts to strengthen the Gambling Act of 2005, through the Gambling Act Review and the White Paper in 2023, have already demonstrated the regulator's commitment to ensuring that the watchdog remains focused on an evidence-based approach, resulting in a comprehensive program.

Already in a couple of months, Miller said, the White Paper has been able to deliver on some significant reforms, with more down the pipeline. Miller said that the financial vulnerability checks were already rolled out, along with changes to direct marketing and new products that reduce the speed and intensity of online marketing.

Miller also noted that the regulator has strengthened how operators conduct age checks and strengthened the process to the player’s end, with individuals under the age of 25 now enjoying stronger consumer protections. Miller acknowledged that there was room for skepticism, but vowed that he was going to work and disprove it:

"But I know that for many people in this room and for others who will read this afterwards, this may not feel enough. And it may prove that further reform will be needed in the future - the gambling industry is a rapidly evolving landscape where the risks and challenges change equally quickly."

To ensure this is the case, Miller said that the regulator and he would work together to properly evaluate the measures being rolled out and their impact on the market, consumer safety, and businesses.

UKGC’s enforcement actions in numbers

Miller assured that the regulator has been working tirelessly to maintain the market’s safety, citing several achievements since the beginning of the new financial year in April 2025.

Recapping several months of work through August 2025, Miller said that the UKGC issued 344 cease and desist letters to advertisers and operators, as well as reported 45,674 URLs to search engine companies, which removed 30,605 of those.

Miller also added that 235 websites have been taken down or geoblocked, and another 466 websites have been referred to search engine companies for delisting. Promising to maintain a steady and determined course of action, Miller wrapped up: "We continue to ratchet up the pressure on those who look to offer illegal gambling at scale in Great Britain."

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