Under the updated guidelines, set to enter force on 19 December 2025, gambling companies will be banned from offering potentially harmful offers involving two or more types of play, such as betting and slots.

Operators will also be limited in the number of times bonus funds must be re-staked before a consumer can withdraw winnings from the bonus.

These new rules follow the Commission’s consultation last autumn into potential changes to operator rules, with the measures included in the government’s April 2023 gambling reform white paper.

Tim Miller, Gambling Commission executive director for research and policy, said: “These changes will better protect consumers from gambling harm and give consumers much better clarity on, and certainty of, offers before they decide to sign up.”

UKGC: cross-sell increases risk of harms

The Commission argued the mixed product promotion ban comes following evidence showing consumers are at more risk of harm after gambling with multiple offers.

As such, it said the ban is aimed at reducing harm, as well as boosting fairness and openness.

Meanwhile, the new rules will cap the number of times a bonus offer must be re-staked before a customer can withdraw any winnings at 10.

This limit, the regulator said, will work to decrease the likelihood of harm, reduce complexity and improve transparency, while maintaining consumer choice.

To ensure increased clarity of the Commission’s current expectations of operators, it will change the wording of Social Responsibility Code 5.1.1 (Rewards and Bonuses).

It is unknown exactly how disruptive these changes will be to existing operator marketing operations, although it should be noted that cross-sell is a core aspect of many business models.

In the full consultation response, the UKGC said it has considered the effects on companies and taken into account guidance from the Regulatory Policy Committee about measuring impacts.

The Commission wrote: “Overall, we consider any costs are proportionate and justifiable in terms of the benefits to consumers and in the context of the stated policy intent to ensure that incentives are constructed in a socially responsible manner and do not encourage excessive and harmful gambling.”