Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints the Gambling Commission received in 2016 related to gambling affiliate activity.

Complaints made directly to the Commission are dealt with by its central contact centre and to collate information on the number relating to affiliates would involve reviewing each complaint individually at disproportionate cost. The Commission is not the lead regulatory authority for advertising or SMS messaging and consumer complaints are directed to the Advertising Standards Authority or Information Commissioner’s Office in the first instance.

Gambling operators providing services to customers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Commission and are responsible for the actions of affiliates on their behalf. If an affiliate breaches licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) the operator will be held accountable.