The merger of the Gambling Commission and National Lottery Commission completed today, as part of the government’s commitment to reduce the number and cost of public bodies.
The Gambling Commission which regulates commercial gambling in Great Britain and the National Lottery Commission which is responsible for licensing and regulating the National Lottery have become a merged body following parliamentary approval.
The priorities of the organisations will remain unchanged and no change has been made to the legislation which governs how commercial gambling and the National Lottery are regulated. However, the move to locate both organisations in Birmingham, allowing them to share common services such as IT and Human Resources will eventually amount to approximately £1.1 million savings a year.
Minister for Sport and Tourism Hugh Robertson said:
The government is committed to reducing the number and cost of public bodies and increasing their accountability. The merger between the Gambling Commission and the National Lottery Commission will help to achieve this aim whilst preserving the appropriate and effective regulation of how gambling and the lottery are regulated. I am grateful to all those involved in making this a smooth transition.
Building expertise
Along with these savings and the sharing of services the merged regulator will make coordination of regulation and advice to government easier and will be able to facilitate greater understanding of game and technological developments across the gambling sector.
Philip Graf, Chair of the Gambling Commission, said:
As we bring National Lottery regulation under the umbrella of the Gambling Commission we will be better placed to carry out our role by combining the expertise of both organisations, as well as building on the National Lottery Commission’s successful record in maximising returns to good causes.
Dr Anne Wright, Chair of the National Lottery Commission up to today’s merger, said:
I have very much valued the opportunity to Chair the National Lottery Commission over the last 8 years, which has seen steadily increasing returns to good causes. No doubt the coming years will present just as many challenges in regulating the National Lottery, but, I am confident the Gambling Commission will continue to protect both the interests of Lottery players and the integrity of the National Lottery, as well as maximising the billions of pounds raised for good causes across the UK.