The UK’s online casino market entered a new regulatory phase this winter as a string of rule changes, consultations and enforcement updates are reshaping how operators design products, market offers and fund the regulator that polices them. Industry leaders and consumer groups say the measures aim to curb harm and criminality, but operators warn of commercial disruption and accelerated shifts in player experience.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport launched a formal consultation on Gambling Commission funding on January 28, 2026, the first fees review since 2021 and a key step toward giving the regulator greater resources to implement the 2023 White Paper reforms. The consultation runs until March 29, 2026 and sets out options for higher licence and operating fees intended to bolster enforcement and tackle illegal operators. The Gambling Commission said it “welcomes this consultation” as a route to certainty over future income. Gambling Commission consultation. (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
Product and promotion changes that already bite
A number of technical changes that directly affect online casino products came into force in January 2026, carrying implications for game design, bonuses and cross-product marketing. Regulators have banned so-called mixed incentives – promotions that require movement between sportsbook and casino products to unlock rewards – and capped wagering requirements on bonus funds at a maximum of 10x. Operators must also comply with safer-by-design rules that restrict turbo spins, auto-play and other features designed to increase play intensity. These interventions follow the White Paper’s objective to reduce harm by slowing down play mechanics and increasing clarity around incentives. (todaynews.co.uk)
Operators report immediate changes to front-end experience: casinos are reworking welcome offers, redesigning bonus terms, and removing cross-product “bet £10 on sport, unlock casino spins” structures that have driven customer acquisition for years. Platform executives say creative marketing and loyalty programs are being retooled to remain appealing while complying with the single-product rule.
Regulatory calendar and enforcement focus
The Gambling Commission’s published timetable sets several upcoming compliance milestones that operators must watch. On March 19, 2026, amendments to Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) will change reporting thresholds for ownership and loans, raising the disclosure threshold from 3% to 5% and widening the scope of what counts as a “relevant person.” Further statutory alignment with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act will take effect on April 6, 2026. The Commission has signalled continued attention on non-compliant machines and financial safeguards for customers, with a suite of phased changes stretching through mid- and late-2026. (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
Separately, government proposals published this month consider increases to Commission fees — one government proposal prefers a package that includes a ring-fenced uplift to tackle illegal markets and protect licensed revenues — with any fee adjustments intended to take effect from October 1, 2026 if approved. The direction is clear: more regulatory resource to match the expanded responsibilities created by the White Paper reforms. (gov.uk)
Industry voices remain divided. Consumer groups and campaigners welcome the measures as overdue protections for vulnerable players, pointing to restrictions on game features and the ban on mixed incentives as meaningful steps. Several operators and trade bodies, while endorsing safer gambling goals, warn that higher compliance costs, design restrictions and fee increases will accelerate consolidation, push some products offshore, or encourage migration toward unlicensed overseas operators if enforcement of illegal markets is not simultaneously strengthened.
What matters next
The immediate priority for operators is implementing the January rules in product code and marketing flows and preparing for the LCCP changes on March 19 and the broader statutory alignments in April. The DCMS fee consultation invites responses through March 29, 2026; its outcome will shape the Commission’s resource envelope and enforcement posture for the coming years. For players, the changes mean clearer, single-product promotions and a slower, more deliberate slot-play experience; for operators, it means urgent product redesign, legal reviews and lobbying on fee proposals.
Watch for: the DCMS fee consultation outcome, the March 19 LCCP changes coming into force, and enforcement activity targeted at operators that fail to adapt their promotions or product design. The next three months will indicate whether policy objectives to reduce harm are matched by effective enforcement against illegal operators and whether the industry can reconcile commercial models with the tighter regulatory regime. (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)