Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Defends Tier 1 Status Amid Operator Redundancies and UK Tax Increases
Andrew Lyman, Gibraltar’s Gambling Commissioner, maintains the iGaming sector remains vibrant despite redundancies at Lottoland, Entain, and bet365. He cites UK Remote Gaming Duty hikes to 40% and 25%, plus AI and efficiency drives, but stresses the Gambling Act 2025 has preserved licensing appeal and enabled prediction market expansion.
SCCG Take — The comments signal that Gibraltar’s regulatory settings and USPs continue to attract new licence interest, positioning the jurisdiction to weather efficiency pressures through vertical diversification rather than contraction.
Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Andrew Lyman has stated that the territory’s iGaming sector remains vibrant and its licensing model is far from spent. Lyman pushed back against narratives of terminal decline in a LinkedIn post, as reported by Focus Gaming News, while acknowledging recent redundancy consultations affecting local employees.
Lyman expressed sympathy for those impacted but rejected views that link falling employment numbers to an irreversible downturn for the Rock. He noted that the cumulative effect of media coverage on multi-jurisdictional cuts can create a negative impression, yet he does not share that assessment.
Pressures Driving Operator Restructurings
Multiple licensees have announced or consulted on job reductions. Lottoland began redundancy consultations with Gibraltar staff in July, citing significant regulatory and commercial developments that affected profitability. Entain is consulting on cuts of 400 to 500 roles across markets. bet365 has placed approximately 40 roles in Gibraltar and Malta at risk within a wider proposal of 340 job cuts.
Lyman identified the UK’s Remote Gaming Duty increase as one contributing factor. The rate on online casino games rises from 21 per cent to 40 per cent from April 2026, with the betting rate set to increase from 15 per cent to 25 per cent from April 2027. He added that operators are also sharpening cost controls through automation, AI implementation, and efficiency measures in an increasingly competitive environment. The challenge of disruption and consolidation is not over, Lyman wrote.
Licensing Competitiveness and New Verticals
Lyman insisted that Gibraltar’s new Gambling Act 2025 has not undermined the jurisdiction’s competitiveness. “Gibraltar remains an attractive licensing hub with a number of USPs,” he said. The Treaty enhances the offering and residency requirements support the sector. Continued interest from traditional B2C, B2B, and derivative models provides cause for optimism, according to Lyman.
The regulator highlighted Gibraltar’s early move into prediction markets. In April the Commission granted a licence to ADI Predictstreet ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. A dedicated regulatory framework establishing a distinct category for such platforms was published in July under the Gambling Act 2025.
Lyman concluded that while the sector will experience cloudy days of uncertainty, “it would be wrong to suggest that it is all downside and that the sun will never come out again. Those that write off Gibraltar as a tier 1 gambling hub … are wrong. The Model is under pressure, but far from spent.”
Reporting: Focus Gaming News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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