The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has implemented financial risk checks that now affect up to 25% of UK gamblers. This latest initiative aims to identify and protect individuals who may be at risk of gambling-related financial harm.
The Department of Trust (DoT) analyzed anonymized bank transaction data from over 600,000 consumers between January and December 2024. Their findings revealed that approximately one-quarter of UK consumers who engaged with at least one gambling operator during this period would have triggered these financial risk checks under the new thresholds.
Initially, in August 2024, the UKGC introduced financial vulnerability checks for players exceeding a net deposit threshold of £500 within a 30-day rolling period. However, as of the 28th February 2025, this threshold has been lowered to £150, broadening the scope of these checks.
The DoT’s analysis indicates that the 35-39 age group is the most likely to trigger these checks, with 26% surpassing the £150 net deposit threshold. Just behind this is the 30-34 age bracket at 25%, the 40-44 group at 24%, and 25-29 year olds at 23%. Notably, 21.5% of individuals under 25 also meet the recently enhanced criteria for these checks.
The analyzed gambling sample recorded total deposits amounting to £168 million. Players who exceeded the £150 net deposit threshold accounted for nearly 97% of these deposits, underscoring that a small segment of gamblers contributes to the majority of operators’ revenues. On average, an active gambler had net deposits of £54 per month and engaged with three operators, whereas those surpassing the £150 threshold interacted with up to five operators.
The UKGC’s decision to enforce these financial risk checks aligns with a broader strategy to mitigate gambling-related harms. Research commissioned by GambleAware indicates that approximately 57% of adults support enhanced financial risk checks. This support rises to 76% among ‘affected others’—individuals impacted by someone else’s gambling. The charity emphasizes the importance of such measures in preventing unaffordable financial losses and advocates for a comprehensive government-led prevention strategy.
The implementation of these checks is part of a phased approach. From 30th August 2024 to 27th February 2025, the threshold was set at £500 to allow operators to adapt to the new requirements. Post-28th February, the threshold was reduced to £150. These checks are designed to be frictionless, utilizing customer-specific public record information to identify potential financial vulnerabilities without causing unnecessary disruption to the gambling experience.
