Illustrative research sample

From an expansion question to an evidence plan

A fictional software business is considering supplying its games to operators serving Great Britain. This sample shows how we separate the proposed activity, public evidence and questions that still require assessment.

This is an illustrative example based on public sources. It does not describe a client engagement, a completed legal assessment or a forecast of commercial performance.

The fictional business question

What should we establish before commissioning an assessment of our proposed software-supply model?

Scenario A assumes that the business supplies software to another operator. Scenario B changes one assumption: the business also hosts games that players access through another operator’s platform. Neither scenario includes a real business, customer, licence application or launch recommendation.

Scope and evidence reviewed

This example reviews one UK Gambling Commission activity page to identify bounded research questions. It does not evaluate an applicant or establish a complete market-entry requirement set.

Source checked: 4 October 2026. Source page updated: 1 October 2026.

Excluded: company-specific licence classification, application assessment, technical testing, supplier approval, tax, payments, contracts, market demand and commercial forecasts.

UKGC: Remote gambling software licence

How a requirement becomes a verification task

These are three records within one illustrative question, not three markets assessed. The next steps below are research suggestions.

Record 1

Software supply

Question: Which activities in the proposed supply model need assessment?
Established fact: The UKGC page describes remote manufacture, supply, installation and adaptation of gambling software.
Limit: This does not determine the classification of the fictional business or its product.
Outstanding evidence: Named entity, product description, distribution method and planned activities.
Next step: Map each activity to the relevant guidance before assessing a licence route.

Read the UKGC source

Record 2

Hosting through another operator

Question: What changes if the business hosts games?
Established fact: The UKGC describes conditional host eligibility for businesses manufacturing gambling software and providing facilities only through other operators’ platforms, holding a software licence and not contracting directly with players.
Limit: Eligibility is conditional. This page is not approval of the fictional model.
Outstanding evidence: Hosting architecture, contractual roles and how players access the games.
Next step: Review the applicable host activity guidance against those facts.

Read the UKGC source

Record 3

Technical deployment

Question: What needs to be assessed before deployment?
Established fact: Software supplied must be capable of deployment in compliance with applicable UKGC technical standards.
Limit: The source does not certify a product or demonstrate completed testing.
Outstanding evidence: Product version, applicable standards, assessment scope and outstanding remediation.
Next step: Define the technical evidence plan separately from the licence assessment.

Read the UKGC source

Unresolved questions that could change the assessment

Which legal entity performs each activity?
Does the business only supply software, or also host gambling facilities?
Who contracts with players?
Which products and distribution routes are proposed?
What technical evidence exists, and what remains to be obtained?
Which questions need regulator clarification or jurisdiction-specific legal advice?

What a commissioned report can include

The written scope determines the markets, comparison criteria, research depth and outputs. An expansion study can bring the following into one decision report and editable workbook:

Business question, activity model and exclusions.
Jurisdictions and comparison criteria agreed for the study.
Primary sources, dates and a claim-to-source register.
Requirements and dependencies by role.
Certification, integration and distribution questions.
Cost components and unknowns, where supported by evidence.
Unresolved issues, assumptions and next research steps.
Limitations and references.

The sample shows the structure of the work. It does not establish launch feasibility, regulatory approval or future sales.

Scope the question for your business

Send the markets, intended activities, product and proposed distribution model. The first step is to agree the research question, evidence cut-off, deliverables, fee and delivery date in writing.

Scope an expansion study See the research scope Read the Atlas methodology