Lower Fees For UK Gambling Licenses

MOST U.K. REMOTE GAMING LICENSEES CAN EXPECT LOWER FEES IN 2017          
 
Gaming Commission's goal is to more evenly spread the fees burden.
 
The UK Gambling Commission revealed in a communication this week that its consultation with the Department of Culture Media and Sport on license fees has been concluded, and that most licensees will see reductions in the amounts they will be paying from April 6 next year.
 
The advisory notes that the "overall fee burden" across the remote gaming industry in the UK will decrease by around ten percent, with something like 1,900 licensees paying lesser amounts varying between 2 percent to 75 percent.
 
A further 1,000 licensees will experience no change in their contributions, and initial online license applicants will be given a 25 percent discount to help them get going.
 
Unfortunately the news is not as favorable for the approximately 100 companies at the top of the industry in terms of GGR, who will probably face more significant hikes based on 0.05% to 0.1% of their revenues; that could see increases of up to 140 percent.
 
Proportionality appears to be the criteria applied to the restructured fees, easing up on smaller companies and making up the difference across medium to large operators.
 
In what appears to be a sensible and reasonable change, a new "game host" license is to be introduced which will empower business-to-business companies who host their own games in the business-to-consumer environment to operate off one license, reducing their costs.
 
See the full detail here:
 
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579614/Consultation_Response_-_Proposals_for_Gambling_Commission_Fees_from_April_2017__21.12.16_.pdf