Gambling Commission (GC) director of enforcement John Pierce has said the regulator remains open to finding a “suitable pathway forward” for crypto payments in the UK.
Speaking at the CMS Gambling Conference 2026 on Tuesday, 12 May, Pierce laid out how the Birmingham-based regulator was approaching the payment method, after the body indicated openness in February for licensed operators to use the tech.
Three months ago, executive director Tim Miller told the Betting and Gaming Council AGM the regulator had taken a “tentative first step” in crypto by engaging the Industry Forum to investigate the topic.
Pierce said the ball remains in Industry Forum’s court, with the exec noting there was no “specific set timeline in terms of how that needs to be progressed”.
However, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is due to become the regulatory body for cryptoassets in October 2027 – a date Pierce was cognizant of.
The GC head explained: “What we don’t want to do is to wait for that date come and go and actually start to explore what the option and possibilities are to consider crypto as a payment method.
“In terms of the work the regulator’s doing, we’re very much open to looking at crypto as an option. We recognise it’s an emerging payment form that is becoming more and more available to consumers and widely used by consumers.
“So, let’s start to have that sensible conversation around what is possible.
“We’ve had a discussion with the industry engagement forum, but very much saying, ‘Okay, over to you’. What do you think is possible? Where do you think it will add most value to your businesses?’ And then how can we work together to identify a suitable pathway forward.”
Licensed operators are unable to deploy crypto payments, giving black market sites the opportunity to attract consumers by offering the technology.
Pierce said any movement into crypto by the regulator would be incremental, indicating that users being able to deposit and withdraw bitcoin would be further down the timeline.
He added: “When you look at the volatility around crypto markets, for example, it makes a lot of sense to look at things like stablecoins as a potential early adoption.
“Our discussions are very much in their early stages in terms of what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. But I think the important thing is we’ve got really strong industry engagement group there.
“There are some big operators that are part of that group [that can] really start exploring what needs to be done and how it can be taken forward in a sensible way.”
As to the Gambling Commission’s own role, Pierce said the body had been “upskilling” around cryptocurrencies to prepare for any potential evolution.
Any changes around cryptocurrencies would require the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) to be amended, while close collaboration with the FCA would also be needed, Pierce said.
The post Gambling Commission remains open to “sensible conversation” on crypto payments first appeared on EGR Intel.
Director of enforcement John Pierce also suggests stablecoins could serve as an entry point for the technology in the licensed arena
The post Gambling Commission remains open to “sensible conversation” on crypto payments first appeared on EGR Intel.