Often referred to simply as the UKGC, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission is the governing body for the world of betting and gambling in Britain. What might be confusing to many, though, is the fact that the organisation isn’t responsible for dealing with individual complaints that people might have about a bookmaker or betting company.
It is actually tasked with handling the licensing of companies and policing the associated responsibilities that come with said licences. In other words, if you feel like a bookie didn’t pay you out when they should have, you don’t turn to the UKGC, but if they break the conditions of their licence, you do.
The good news is that there are other bodies that deal with complaints about bookmakers that you feel have wronged you. The Independent Betting Adjudication Service will deal with issues you might have with a bookie not paying out properly on a bet, for example, whilst the Advertising Standards Authority will investigate any times when a business has made false promises in adverts.
There is also a gambling ombudsman being introduced at some point in the near future, specifically to handle issues around social responsibility failings and gambling harm, but they are not yet operational.
The Gambling Commission has numerous responsibilities, but dealing with direct complaints from customers isn’t one of them.
The UKGC’s Responsibilities
The first job of the Gambling Commission is to issue licences to individuals or businesses that wish to sell gambling services to UK-based audiences. That can range from a high street arcade through to a bingo hall, a lottery organiser or a casino.
If a company wants to offer any form of real money gambling, then they need to get a licence from the UKGC in order to legally do so.
The UKGC’s involvement doesn’t stop there, however. Once the licence has been issued, the Gambling Commission also monitors the license holder to ensure they’re sticking to the rules of the licence.
These rules are outlined according to the UKGC’s Conditions and Codes of Practice. Businesses are required to follow these rules and those that don’t will fall foul of the Commission, suffering the consequences. These can range from being issued a fine through to having their licence suspended or even revoked, so it is important that licence holders follow the Codes of Practice to the letter.
In essence, the UKGC is there as something of a gatekeeper for the gambling industry, and is responsible for making betting as safe and fair as possible.
What Is Your Complaint About?
So, if you have a complaint about anything other than terms of a license being broken, the UKGC probably isn’t the body you need. Then who is?
The key thing to ask yourself is what you’re complaining about, as that will dictate where you go next.
If you’re complaining about the way a bookie has treated you, the first thing that you’ll need to do is get in touch with the company directly. Though the Independent Betting Adjudication Service is there to deal with your complaints, they will only speak to you once you have exhausted your options with the company that you’re complaining about. If you have tried to resolve it with them and failed, you’ll then be able to get in touch with IBAS who will take things further.
IBAS is an Alternative Dispute Resolution Service approved by the Gambling Commission, with the intention of offering an informed but impartial decision when you have a dispute with a licensee. It is a free service and operators are bound by IBAS’s decision up to a value of £10,000. They aren’t the only dispute resolution service out there, and customers are free to seek alternatives if they don’t feel as though IBAS has acted fairly. This makes it something of a win-win for punters who turn to IBAS and seek resolution.
The ASA
If your complaint is about a gambling company’s marketing rather than a direct interaction between you and them, the ASA will be your destination.
Adverts for gambling are not allowed to suggest that betting can solve your financial woes, for example, nor improve your personal problems. Sexual success cannot be suggested for people that gamble and nor can companies suggest that placing a bet is something of a rite of passage.
If you believe that a betting company has violated the marketing rules, you should get in touch with the Advertising Standards Authority.
The examples I have listed above are not all the ASA will look into, so don’t think of that list as being exhaustive. It is illustrative of the sorts of things that come under the ASA’s jurisdiction thanks to the Gambling Act though. The main rule of thumb is that if an advert suggests that something good will happen if you gamble then it has broken the rules.
If you are unsure but uneasy about something you can always get in touch and check.
The ASA is well-placed to deal with such complaints and the fact that the rules are set out by the Gambling Act means that it has the weight of the government behind it.
Can You Complain About The Gambling Commission Itself?
It is entirely possible that you might have a complaint to make about the Gambling Commission rather than a gambling company. Whether it is something that you think the UKGC has failed at or it is a concern about an employee, you have the option to make a complaint and have it taken seriously.
You can make your complaint online or by writing to the Gambling Commission directly. Whichever method you choose, you just need to outline the situation clearly and explain why you’re making the complaint.
Be sure to understand the distinction between complaining to the UKGC and complaining about the UKGC. These processes are handled separately.
Whether the standard of service you received from the UKGC was below what you’d expect, a lack of action taken by them over something or the behaviour of Gambling Commission staff, or anything else, your complaint should be taken seriously when you make it.