UK Court of Appeal confirms no change to duties owed by betting operators to gamblers in "landmark" test case

17 December 2025

Gambling operators and investors will have welcomed the outcome of the long-anticipated Gibson v Betfair case – the first case of its kind to have been considered by the English Court of Appeal.

The industry had been waiting for 17 years for the position in Calvert v William Hill^[1] to be tested in relation to betting activities which took place after the watershed UK Gambling Act of 2005. The Court of Appeal's recent judgment has confirmed the position in Calvert providing clarity and legal certainty - operators do not owe gamblers a general duty of care. Operators nonetheless still need to comply fully with their regulatory and licensing requirements, including putting into effect appropriate policies and procedures to protect vulnerable people.

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