The Statement of Principles document sets out the principles that the Gambling Commission will apply when exercising its functions under the Gambling Act 2005. It has waited until consultation was complete before finalising the Statement of Principles.

Changes from the original version have been modest, with further text added to provide clarity in some instances and some revisions to the language or terminology used to bring it up to date. The Commission has published a supporting paper to the Statement of Principles that discusses the changes adopted following consultation.

The Statement of Principles now published underpins all the work undertaken by the Commission. Operators and individuals applying for licences should be aware of these guiding principles.

In October 2005 the Commission consulted on a draft Statement of Principles in order to meet the requirements set out under section 23(4) of the Act. It received 80 responses, from a cross-section of those with an interest in the sector, including representatives of the gambling industry, local authorities, those with an interest in problem gambling, regulatory bodies, legal bodies and the police, faith groups and trade unions.

A full list of all responses to the Statement of Principles consultation is available. A short summary of those responses was published in April 2006, and appropriate amendments have been made as a result.

A further opportunity to comment on the draft principles was provided through the subsequent consultations on Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), Licensing, Compliance and Enforcement (LCE), and Financial Conditions on Gambling Operators and Personal Licence Holders (Financial Conditions). Responses to all of these consultations have informed the development of the Statement of Principles.

Link: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Client/detail.asp?ContentId=66