UKGC publishes ‘joint consultation’ on proposed license fee changes

The proposals of UKGC's consultation include:

- take account of the significant changes to our costs and income following the implementation of the Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Act 2014
- reflect the efficiencies we have achieved in our expenditure, and would reduce the overall fee burden across the industry by an estimated 10%
- ensure that our costs continue to be recovered on a proportionate basis from different types and sizes of operator
- address other issues identified in the current fees structure. 

It also proposes some important modifications to the fees structure, including;

- the replacement of ‘number of premises’ with gross gambling yield (GGY) as the basis for fee categories across a number of licenses
- the sub-division of various fee categories into smaller categories to ensure that our costs are recovered through fees on a fairer basis
- the re-alignment of our cost recovery more proportionately in relation to GGY. 

The commission expects the proposals to mean fee reductions for around 1,900 operators while fees would be held at their current levels for around 1,000 operators, and fewer than 100 would be subject to an increase in fees.

In developing our advice to government on changes to fees we have taken account of the responses we received from stakeholders during our fees discussion exercise in 2015 and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, we would expect changes to fees to be put in place in April 2017. 

In developing its advice for government on changes to fees, the UKGC has taken account of the responses they received from stakeholders during its fees discussion exercise in 2015 and subject to the outcome of the consultation, it would expect changes to fees to be put in place in April 2017.