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The UK Gambling Commission has begun exploring how cryptoassets could potentially be used as a payment method by UK licensed gambling operators, framing the work as an initial scoping exercise rather than an immediate policy change. The update was shared by UKGC executive director Tim Miller during the Betting and Gaming Council’s AGM in London.

Miller said the Commission has asked its Industry Forum to look at what a “sensible” pathway could look like for allowing crypto to be used as a consumer payment option, while still meeting the Commission’s existing licensing objectives and requirements. He described this as a tentative first step.

Why this is happening now

The Commission’s move follows the government’s introduction of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2025, which were recently laid before Parliament. If approved, the regulations would bring certain cryptoasset activities under the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory remit.

Miller pointed to the UK’s shifting regulatory landscape and rising consumer demand as reasons to evaluate whether a compliant route for crypto payments could be created for licensed operators. The idea, as presented, is to explore how crypto could fit inside regulated gambling rather than outside it.

What changes and what does not

At this stage, UKGC is not announcing that crypto payments are permitted, nor is it setting a firm timeline for implementation. The Commission is asking for analysis first: what guardrails would be required, what risks must be addressed, and what “reasonable” adoption could look like within current licensing expectations.

Any eventual pathway would also sit alongside the broader UK crypto framework, which Miller indicated could come into force on 25 October 2027 if approved, with FCA authorization and permissions expected for firms undertaking regulated cryptoasset activities. For now, the Commission’s position remains exploratory and consultative. 

Source: https://next.io/news/regulation/gambling-commission-to-explore-crypto-payments/