Member of Parliament for Lewisham North, Vicky Foxcroft, has been appointed as the newest Gambling Minister in the United Kingdom, replacing former Minister Baroness Fiona...
The UK’s Department of Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that gambling license fees will increase by 25% starting from October 1, 2026.
After conducting a consultation from January 2026 to March 2026, the department published a reviewed fee structure that would align with the Gambling Commission’s regulatory responsibilities. At the same time, the government has rejected operators’ requests to implement a phased introduction, meaning that the fee raises will immediately take effect in full.
The DCMS shared in its response:
“Fees for personal licences, variations and changes of corporate control will increase by 25% in line with the headline level of increase (as proposed in the consultation). Fees for supplementary operating licences and single machine permits will also increase by 25%. First annual fees will continue to be charged at 75% of the annual fees.”
Initially, the government was considering 3 options for the fee changes, including a 30% rise, a 20% rise, or a 20% plus an additional 10% rise for illegal gambling and revenue protection.
According to the government’s decision, the license fees for society lotteries will be frozen, while general betting operating licenses will change to a structure based on gross gambling yield, replacing the days-of-operation system.
In addition to the license fee hikes, it was also revealed that the Gambling Commission would receive £26 million from the Treasury to allocate towards enforcement action against the illegal gambling market.
