Most bettors will never be checked. In the first stage of the plan confirmed by the Gambling Commission on 7 July 2026, only customers of the largest operators who deposit more than £5,000 net in 24 hours will face a financial risk assessment. The threshold is £2,500 for under-25s and other high-risk groups, and fewer than 0.5% of customers exceed the £5,000 level.
What is a financial risk assessment?
It is an assessment provided by a credit reference agency, using limited data from the credit information system that lenders rely on. The assessment itself requires no documents and has no impact on the customer’s credit score.
The operator receives an overall assessment, together with information on four points: defaults, multiple arrears, significant arrears, and whether the customer has a debt management plan.
According to the Commission, one missed payment on a mobile phone account would not have the same impact on the overall score as twelve months of missed mortgage payments.
What deposit levels trigger an assessment?
The thresholds depend on the customer’s age and on the stage of implementation. They apply to net deposits over a rolling period.
| Stage | Aged 25 and over | Under 25 and other high-risk groups |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | More than £5,000 in 24 hours | More than £2,500 in 24 hours |
| Interim stages | Not yet set | Not yet set |
| Final stage | More than £1,000 in 24 hours, or £3,000 over 90 days | More than £750 in 24 hours, or £2,000 over 90 days |
Once the scheme is fully in place, fewer than 3% of accounts would need an assessment, according to the Commission.
When does it start?
No start date has been announced. The Commission will set the date for stage 1 in its formal consultation response, after working with operators and other stakeholders in implementation groups set up over the summer.
On 25 September 2026, that response had not yet been published.
What if the check cannot be carried out?
In the pilot, 97% of customers above the thresholds could be assessed without any friction. The 2023 White Paper had estimated this share at 80%.
The Commission expects fewer than 1 in 1,000 accounts to be unable to get an assessment. For those, the operator must verify the customer’s identity properly and may assess financial risk by other means, such as open banking or a request for documents.
What happens if the check flags financial difficulty?
The operator decides what support to offer, taking into account everything else it knows about the customer. The Commission gives two examples: reducing marketing sent to the customer, and helping them set deposit limits.
During the early stages, the Commission will not take enforcement action against an operator that fails to act after an assessment. All other licence requirements still apply.
What you can do now
GamStop is a free service that blocks your access to gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain, for a period you choose between 6 months and 5 years. Every operator licensed to offer online gambling in Great Britain must take part in it.
If gambling is causing money worries, the National Gambling Helpline is free and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133. Other tools are listed on our safer gambling page.
The size of the online market is detailed in our summary of the latest gambling statistics for Great Britain.
Sources
Gambling Commission, Commission to introduce Financial Risk Assessments in staged approach, 7 July 2026, and Financial risk assessments update, July 2026. Gambling Commission, How we make gambling safer. GamStop, About Gamstop Online. Consulted on 25 September 2026.