The UK Gambling Commission recently clarified the details of the new promotional regulations that will take effect in early 2026, with the most notable being a complete ban on "cross-promotion". The new rules require that operators' promotional activities must not mix different types of gambling products in the same offer, unless players are given completely unrestricted freedom of choice. In plain terms, it means you cannot "hang a sheep's head and sell dog meat", using casino rewards to attract sports betting players, and vice versa.
Core of the new regulations: Strict prohibition of cross-category mixed promotions
According to the latest clarification from the Gambling Commission, starting from January 19, 2026, all promotional activities' "initial customer actions" and the "rewards or prizes" offered must belong to the same type of gambling. This means that traditional promotions like "bet £5 on a sports event, get 20 free casino spins" will directly violate the rules. The regulatory body emphasizes that this measure aims to reduce the risk of excessive gambling due to cross-product temptations, ensuring that promotional activities are clearer and more responsible.
Compliance depends on player choice
So, what kind of promotion is considered compliant? The Commission explained through multiple examples. The key lies in whether players are given complete freedom of choice.
Compliant example: "Deposit £5 (not linked to a specific product), receive a £5 bonus that can be used on any licensed product." This is compliant because players can freely decide to use the bonus in sports, casino, bingo, or lottery categories, with no restrictions imposed by the operator.
Non-compliant example: "Spend £10 on any licensed product, and get a £5 free bet." In this example, although players can freely choose the game category to complete the task, the final reward is limited to "sports betting", and players have no right to choose other types of rewards, thus it is still non-compliant. According to PASA's official website observation, this subtle but crucial distinction is prompting major operators to urgently review their existing promotional systems.
Free games are also regulated, operators need to adjust in advance
It is worth noting that the scope of the new regulations also extends to in-app free games or lottery activities. The Commission's senior policy manager pointed out that whether this clause applies or not is irrelevant to whether players need to bet to receive the reward. For example, a "daily login free lottery, with a chance to win free bets or free spins" activity, because it provides a mixed product reward specified by the operator, will be deemed non-compliant. However, if the prize pool consists entirely of different denominations within the same product category (such as various amounts of free bets or cash), it is allowed. This requires operators to redesign their user interaction and retention mechanisms to ensure the purity of the reward pool.
As the effective date of the new regulations approaches, the UK gambling market is expected to see a wave of concentrated adjustments in promotional strategies. How to maintain market competitiveness while complying with strict regulations poses a new challenge for all operators.
