The Gambling Commission will soon respond to the Cat D consultation, according to CEO Andrew Rhodes, who spoke to Focus Gaming News about the Commission’s evidence-led approach to shaping new reforms and assessing the impact of those already implemented.
Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the British Gambling Commission, has confirmed that the regulator is close to publishing its response to the government’s consultation on Cat D machines.
In a year-end interview with Focus Gaming News, Rhodes said gaming machines would be a key regulatory focus in the year ahead, noting: “We’ll soon publish our response to the gaming machines consultation.”
The consultation forms part of the wider Gambling Act Review and centres on modernising Cat D machines to reflect how they are used in practice.
The government’s proposals include restructuring Category D machines by creating new sub-categories to distinguish non-money “slot-style” machines from other non-money machines. Coin pushers would also be brought together into a single unified category, a move intended to simplify regulation and improve consistency across the sector.
Changes to stakes and prizes are also under consideration. These include increasing maximum prizes on crane-grab machines from £50 to £75 while retaining the £1 stake, and offering operators the option to raise stakes on non-slot, non-money machines to 40p or 50p, with corresponding prize limits of £15 or £20. For coin pushers, the proposals suggest increasing the stake to 30p, raising the cash prize limit to £12, and aligning ticket-out pushers with a £20 prize cap.
Rhodes said the Commission’s assessment of these proposals is being informed by a growing body of evidence, including findings from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain. The regulator, he added, is focused on ensuring that any changes strike the right balance between commercial sustainability for FECs and robust safeguards for consumers. It is also evaluating the changes made over 2025.
“We’ve launched a comprehensive evaluation programme designed to understand, as clearly as possible, the real-world effects of the Gambling Act Review White Paper’s reforms,” explained Rhodes. “These changes are the biggest in 20 years, so naturally, everyone is eager for the results. But the truth is: it’s still too early for firm conclusions.”
As the industry awaits the Commission’s consultation response, Rhodes stressed that its views on Cat D machines, like on all regulatory reforms, will be anchored firmly in the public interest and guided by evidence rather than assumption.
What, another one!
Andrew Rhodes said……. “We’ve launched a comprehensive evaluation programme designed to understand, as clearly as possible, the real-world effects of the Gambling Act Review White Paper’s reforms. These changes are the biggest in 20 years, so naturally, everyone is eager for the results. But the truth is: it’s still too early for firm conclusions……
Originally published on Coinslot on January 4, 2026. Republished with permission.