A new academic study has questioned whether the UK £150 gambling threshold strikes a balance between protecting vulnerable customers and avoiding unnecessary financial checks for lower-risk gamblers.
Published in the journal Addiction on 24 June 2026, the research analysed banking data from 424 UK gamblers to assess how effectively the current £150 monthly net deposit threshold identifies people who may be at risk of gambling-related financial harm.
Why Does the £150 Threshold Matter?
The £150 figure forms part of the Gambling Commission’s financial vulnerability checks, introduced in February 2025. Customers whose net deposits exceed this amount within a rolling 30-day period may be asked to undergo additional financial checks designed to identify signs of financial vulnerability.
However, new research suggests the current threshold may catch a significant number of people who are gambling within their means.
Researchers Suggest £187 Could Be a Better Fit
After reviewing banking data for a year, the researchers concluded that a monthly net deposit of £187 provided the best balance between identifying those at risk of harm while reducing unnecessary intervention for lower-risk customers.
The study found that around two-thirds of gamblers showing at least one indicator of harm exceeded the existing £150 threshold. At the same time, almost half of those showing no signs of harm also crossed that level at some point during the year.
The authors concluded that the current threshold appears to place greater emphasis on harm prevention than on preserving consumer freedom.
One Operator at a Time
The research also highlighted a limitation of the current system.
Financial vulnerability checks apply to deposits made with individual gambling operators rather than a customer’s total gambling activity. As a result, a person making deposits at multiple online casino sites could stay below the £150 threshold with each operator. This is true even if their total deposits are much higher.
Researchers described it as modest and said further work is needed before drawing wider conclusions. However, they suggested it is an area worth exploring in future studies.
Younger Adults Could Require Different Thresholds
Research focused on younger gamblers.
The research indicated that lower thresholds may be more appropriate for people under 30. Evidence suggests that younger adults can become financially vulnerable at lower levels of gambling spend. The approach reflects current regulations in the Netherlands, with lower monthly gambling limits applied to customers aged between 18 and 24.
UK £150 Gambling Threshold Should Be Viewed With Caution
The authors acknowledged several limitations. All 424 participants volunteered their banking data, meaning the sample may not fully represent the wider gambling population. They also stressed the research should not be viewed as a recommendation to immediately increase the current threshold.
Instead, the research provides new evidence for policymakers. The UK continues to evaluate how affordability checks should operate in practice.