Acting chief executive Sarah Gardner set out market figures and regulatory priorities in a drafted speech for the Commission’s CEO Briefing.
The UK Gambling Commission has published the text of a speech by acting chief executive Sarah Gardner, delivered at its CEO Briefing on 5 November 2026. The Commission noted the published version was drafted and “may slightly differ from the delivered version”.
Gardner told attendees it had been “another year of big delivery” for the regulator, referencing work on the Gambling Act Review, the National Lottery and efforts to tackle illegal gambling. She also said the Commission wanted “a collaborative relationship” with licensees, “built on compliance at the earliest opportunity”.
In her remarks, Gardner addressed the Government’s Budget announced the previous week, saying the Gambling Commission “does not advise on taxation” but recognised the importance of Government decisions for businesses. She said the regulator would continue to engage with the industry and listen to questions within its remit.
Gardner cited Commission figures showing the gambling sector in Great Britain grew to “£17.5 billion” by Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) at the end of the last financial year. She said overall GGY growth in Great Britain was “4.4% last financial year”.
Breaking down the data, she said “remote casino, betting and bingo grew by 6.9% year on year to £8.3 billion by GGY”. She added that online casino was “basically driving” headline growth, reporting it was “up £736 million in GGY”, compared with the whole gambling sector increasing “by £728 million in the same period”. For land-based gambling, she said GGY rose “1.1% in 2025/26”, with Adult Gaming Centres showing “an 11% growth” on GGY, non-remote bingo up “8%”, and “negligible” growth in casinos.
What it means for players
The Commission’s published figures indicate online casino growth is outpacing other segments, while land-based growth is smaller, which the regulator said creates uneven pressures across the sector.
Source: UK Gambling Commission, 06 November 2026.
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