Earlier this year, on April 29th, 2020, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) issued a response to the consultation under which the removal of condition 2.1.1 in its remote key equipment policy was proposed. The condition in question requires licensees to file an application for a variation of their gambling equipment licence when adding or changing the location of key equipment to a different jurisdiction.
As part of the proposal made at the end of April, the gambling watchdog proposed that the regulator would no longer require gambling equipment licence holders to inform the UKGC whenever they add or relocate key equipment within the same jurisdiction, as licensees have been supposed to do under requirement 15.2.1.7.
The two changes in the gambling equipment policy of the Commission are set to come into effect as of July 29th, 2020. Under the changes that have been made after the consultation on the issue closed, from this date on, the major gambling regulatory body of the UK will no longer require remote gambling operators to inform the watchdog in case they move remote key equipment within a jurisdiction. Furthermore, gambling companies would no longer have to apply for a variation of their licence before making additions or relocating any remote key gambling equipment from the jurisdiction they operate in under their licence provisions.
Applications Submitted by July 28th Will Be Processed as Normal by the UKGC
In order to prepare for the changes that are to be brought to its policy, the UK Gambling Commission explained that it is to make alterations to eServices, as it would have to remove the sections associated with remote key equipment. Apart from that, the Commission plans to make similar changes to the Operating Licence (OL) variation form that can be accessed and downloaded from its website.
The gambling regulatory body informed all licensees that any applications that are submitted until and including July 28th, 2020, are set to be processed as normal. Gambling companies will be given the chance to withdraw their application for Operating Licence variation but they must have in mind they will not be entitled to a refund in case they do so. Furthermore, the UK Gambling Commission recommended that its licensees should consider destroying any copies of the OL variation form they had previously downloaded, as such copies will no longer be accurate.
As the UKGC itself revealed, it received a total of 35 responses to its consultation on the issue. Thirty of these responses came from gambling companies, one was sent by a trade association, and four were filed from other organisations, including 2 gambling consultants, 1 law firm and 1 supplier of connectivity and infrastructure. The regulatory body revealed that the consultation respondents provided significant support to the proposals made by the Commission. According to everyone, who has backed the proposal for removal of the aforementioned licence condition and notification requirement, the chance will end up ensuring increased efficiency of the regulation process and would relax some regulatory burden.
- Author
Daniel Williams
