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We are pleased to introduce Ariyan Makhecha, the Society’s most recent medical student to complete the MCCS Medical Cannabis Student Elective.

Ariyan joined us for week placement, taking part in clinical observation, industry visits, structured teaching, and international events, gaining a rare insight into one of the fastest-developing areas of medicine.

As part of the programme, Ariyan has written a reflective blog about his experience, which you can read below. Applications for 2026 are now open. If you’re a medical student interested in taking part in next year’s MCCS Medical Cannabis Elective, you can find full details and application information here. We welcome early enquiries and encourage students from all backgrounds to explore this unique learning opportunity.

Inside my elective with the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society

My elective placement with the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society provided me with an outstanding opportunity to study one of the most dynamic and evolving fields of medicine. At the very beginning, I received structured teaching on the endocannabinoid system and its clinical importance, as well as an overview of ethical and legal framework associated with the prescription of medical cannabis. This provided me with a good knowledge base to make the most of the rest of the placement.

I attended remote consultations where I had the opportunity to view various clinics, such as pain management consultations, psychiatric consultations, and follow-ups and new patient visits. Learning about the practical uses of medical cannabis in treating numerous diseases and the medical practitioners developing tailored treatment plans, demonstrated the potential of cannabis-based medicines as a treatment approach and the importance of safe and evidence-based prescribing.

I also had the chance to visit pharmaceutical facilities located all around the United Kingdom, and that is where I learnt a lot about how medical cannabis is grown, processed, and distributed. The importance of quality control, standardisation and regulatory compliance in ensuring that patients obtain safe and reliable therapies was emphasised throughout my time at these sites.

Networking was yet another invaluable part of this elective. I had the opportunity to meet with import and export companies specialists, pharmaceutical representatives, and medical specialists, who gave great information and individual perspectives on the interdisciplinary nature of the medical cannabis industry. The ability to network with such a diverse range of professionals helped me recognise how important it is foe industry leaders, research, politics, and medical experts to collaborate with each other to enhance patient care.

The most memorable experience of the elective experience was attending two international conferences, Mary Jane and the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) in Berlin. ICBC gave me the chance to meet professionals, leaders in the sectors of agriculture, genetics, lighting, fertilizers, curing, drying, sterilisation and packaging from all over the world. I was able to gain a lot of through specialised seminars delivered by industry experts. One talk which stood out to me was one that discussed the impact of plant irradiation on terpene profiles.

I chose to explore further through wider academic reading which memebers of the MCCS supported me through and hence I was able to better understand the usefulness of terpenes in relation to cannabinoids, exploring potential combinations between them and the rationale behind different patient/professional attitudes toward the two. Along with broadening my clinical knowledge on cannabis, this elective allowed me to understand better the significance of ethical practice, and the global implications of medical cannabis.

How Betzoid Documents the Growth of British Sports Betting

The British sports betting industry stands as one of the most mature and extensively regulated gambling markets in the world. From the legalisation of high street bookmakers in 1961 to the digital revolution that transformed wagering into a round-the-clock activity accessible from any smartphone, the United Kingdom has consistently sat at the forefront of global betting culture. Understanding how this industry has evolved requires more than a passing glance at headline figures — it demands careful documentation, analytical rigour, and a commitment to tracking trends across decades. This is precisely the kind of work that platforms dedicated to betting intelligence have taken upon themselves, and Betzoid represents one of the more thorough examples of how data-driven documentation can illuminate the story of British sports betting in meaningful ways.

The Historical Arc of British Sports Betting

To appreciate what contemporary documentation efforts capture, it is essential to understand the historical foundations upon which British sports betting was built. The Betting and Gaming Act of 1960, which came into force in 1961, fundamentally altered the landscape by permitting the establishment of licensed betting offices. Prior to this legislation, off-course cash betting was illegal, meaning that working-class punters who could not attend racecourses in person were effectively excluded from legal wagering. The introduction of licensed bookmakers brought betting into the open, and firms such as William Hill, Ladbrokes, and Coral rapidly expanded their high street presence throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Horse racing remained the dominant sport for wagering throughout these early decades, but football pools had already established a parallel betting culture that drew millions of weekly participants. The football pools, operated by companies like Littlewoods and Vernons, represented a form of communal prediction gaming that embedded itself deeply into British working-class life. By the 1980s, the pools industry was attracting stakes worth hundreds of millions of pounds annually, demonstrating the scale of public appetite for sports-related gambling even before modern bookmaking had fully matured.

The introduction of the National Lottery in 1994 created both competition and, paradoxically, a normalisation of gambling that ultimately benefited the broader betting industry. As lottery participation became socially acceptable across all demographics, the cultural stigma previously attached to betting began to erode. This shift in public perception, combined with the deregulation that followed the Gambling Act of 2005, created the conditions for the explosive growth that defined British sports betting in the early twenty-first century.

How Betzoid Approaches the Documentation of Market Evolution

Documenting an industry as dynamic as British sports betting requires both breadth and precision. Betzoid has approached this challenge by building a comprehensive framework that tracks operator activity, regulatory changes, product development, and consumer behaviour across time. Rather than simply cataloguing which bookmakers are currently active, the platform situates current market conditions within a broader historical narrative, allowing readers to understand not just where the industry is, but how it arrived there.

One of the most significant developments that Betzoid has documented in detail is the rise of online betting following the widespread adoption of broadband internet in the early 2000s. The transition from high street to digital was not instantaneous — it unfolded gradually as operators invested in web platforms, payment infrastructure, and customer acquisition strategies. By 2010, online channels were already accounting for a substantial and growing share of total betting revenue in the United Kingdom. By the mid-2010s, mobile betting had overtaken desktop wagering, reflecting broader shifts in how British consumers interacted with digital services generally.

The documentation available through betzoid.com provides researchers, industry observers, and informed bettors with structured access to information about how the British market has been shaped by these technological transitions. The platform’s approach involves tracking not just the commercial dimensions of betting but also the regulatory responses that have accompanied rapid growth. The introduction of the Gambling Commission in 2007, the ongoing debates about fixed-odds betting terminals, and the implementation of stricter affordability checks in recent years all form part of the documented record that helps contextualise present-day market conditions.

In-play betting represents another area where Betzoid’s documentation reveals significant market evolution. The ability to place wagers on live sporting events transformed the product offering of British bookmakers in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Football, in particular, became a vehicle for an entirely new category of wagering, with markets on next goalscorer, corner counts, and booking cards proliferating rapidly. The documentation of these product innovations provides valuable insight into how operators competed for market share during a period of intense commercial expansion.

Regulatory Milestones and Their Impact on the British Betting Landscape

No serious documentation of British sports betting can afford to treat regulation as a peripheral concern. The relationship between the industry and its regulatory framework has been one of the defining dynamics of the past two decades, and Betzoid has consistently given this dimension the attention it deserves. The Gambling Act of 2005 represented the most comprehensive overhaul of British gambling law since the 1960s, establishing a licensing regime administered by the newly created Gambling Commission and introducing the principle that gambling should be permitted unless there were specific reasons to restrict it.

The consequences of this liberalisation were profound. The number of licensed online operators grew substantially in the years following the Act’s implementation, and advertising restrictions were relaxed in ways that led to a significant increase in betting-related marketing across television, radio, and digital channels. The sight of betting advertisements during football broadcasts became so commonplace that it prompted sustained public debate about the normalisation of gambling among younger audiences. Betzoid’s documentation of this advertising expansion, and the subsequent regulatory tightening that followed public pressure, provides a valuable record of how commercial interests and social concerns have interacted throughout the industry’s recent history.

The fixed-odds betting terminal controversy deserves particular attention as a case study in regulatory conflict. These machines, which allowed players to stake up to one hundred pounds every twenty seconds on virtual roulette and other casino-style games, became a focal point for campaigners concerned about problem gambling. The eventual decision to reduce the maximum stake to two pounds per spin, implemented in 2019, had immediate and severe consequences for high street bookmakers, many of whom responded by closing hundreds of shops. Betzoid’s coverage of this episode illustrates how regulatory decisions can reshape the physical infrastructure of betting in ways that have lasting consequences for both operators and communities.

More recently, the ongoing review of the Gambling Act initiated in 2020 has generated considerable discussion about the future direction of British betting regulation. Proposals concerning affordability checks, advertising restrictions, and the regulation of online casino products have all been subject to extensive consultation and debate. The documentation of these discussions provides essential context for understanding where the industry may be headed, even as the specific outcomes of the review process continue to unfold.

Consumer Behaviour, Market Data, and the Future of British Betting

Beyond regulatory history, Betzoid’s documentation of British sports betting extends into the realm of consumer behaviour and market statistics. The Gambling Commission publishes regular data on industry revenues, participation rates, and problem gambling prevalence, and platforms like Betzoid official website translate this information into accessible analysis that helps readers understand the scale and character of the market. In the financial year 2022 to 2023, the British gambling industry generated gross gambling yield of approximately fifteen billion pounds, with sports betting accounting for a significant portion of this total.

Football dominates British sports betting by a considerable margin, accounting for the largest share of sports wagering revenue. The Premier League, in particular, serves as a global product that attracts betting interest not just from domestic punters but from international markets as well. The documentation of football betting trends reveals how the sport’s commercial expansion has been mirrored in the wagering activity it generates, with the proliferation of markets, the growth of accumulator betting, and the emergence of same-game multiples all reflecting the industry’s efforts to deepen engagement with football’s enormous audience.

Horse racing, despite its historical primacy, has seen its share of the sports betting market decline relative to football, though it remains a significant and culturally distinctive component of the British betting calendar. Events such as the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival, and Royal Ascot continue to generate substantial wagering activity and attract millions of occasional bettors who do not participate in the market at other times of the year. The documentation of these seasonal patterns provides insight into the rhythms of British betting culture that aggregate annual figures alone cannot convey.

Tennis, cricket, and increasingly American sports such as basketball and American football have also become meaningful components of the British betting market, reflecting both the globalisation of sports media and the efforts of bookmakers to diversify their product offerings. Esports betting, while still relatively small in absolute terms, has grown rapidly and represents a potential indicator of where the market may develop as younger demographics become the primary consumer base for betting products.

Looking forward, the British sports betting industry faces a complex set of challenges and opportunities. Stricter regulation may constrain certain product types or marketing practices, but the fundamental appetite for sports wagering among British consumers shows no signs of diminishing. Technological developments, including the potential application of artificial intelligence to both product development and responsible gambling tools, are likely to shape the industry’s evolution in ways that current documentation can only partially anticipate.

Conclusion

The growth of British sports betting is a story that encompasses legislative history, technological transformation, regulatory conflict, and deep cultural change. Platforms like Betzoid perform a genuinely valuable function by providing structured, historically informed documentation of this evolution. For anyone seeking to understand how one of the world’s most sophisticated betting markets arrived at its current state, the kind of careful, data-grounded analysis that dedicated documentation efforts provide is indispensable. As the industry continues to navigate regulatory reform and technological change, the importance of accurate, contextualised documentation will only grow.

I also learned its role in illnesses such as epilepsy and chronic pain and the risks, precautions and monitoring necessary to prescribe it safely. Taking the time to understand how perspectives and legislation are changing across nations in Europe, the Americas, and South East Asia, also provided me with further insight as to the history and the global policy landscape regarding medical cannabis and its future.

Why the MCCS Elective Stands Out

I would describe my experience with the MCCS as nothing short of incredible. It gave me the chance to learn through clinical observation, research, and exposure to the industry as well as international networking all in a single placement.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the MCCS elective to anyone who wants to learn more about medical cannabis as this placement provides a unique opportunity to gain exposure to an industry that is shaping the future of medical therapies whilst also being a priceless learning experience.

Ariyan Makhecha, MCCS Student elective 2024/25

Earlier this week, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society was proud to co-host the UK’s first Cannabis Health Symposium, where several of our executive committee members contributed to a packed agenda of education on cannabis-based medicine. 

Out of almost 200 delegates, the event welcomed around 100 doctors – including 50 who had never prescribed medical cannabis before – to hear expert-led presentations, clinical case studies, and practical guidance to gain a deeper understanding of how it can safely and effectively support patients with a range of health conditions.

The Society was delighted to have several representatives presenting on the day and to welcome many new clinicians interested in prescribing safely, confidently, and in line with best practice.

Read on for a summary of some of the key talks by our MCCS committee members.  

Building Prescriber Confidence: Best Practice, Training, and Governance | Professor Mike Barnes

MCCS Chair, Professor Mike Barnes opened the symposium by setting out the current landscape of UK medical cannabis prescribing and the clinical standards needed to safeguard patients. With around 80,000 patients and only 160 active prescribers – almost all in the private sector – he highlighted wide variation in practice quality, from excellent multidisciplinary clinics to services offering unsafe 10-minute consultations and limited communication with GPs.

Prof Barnes reiterated key principles from the MCCS Good Practice Guide, emphasising the importance of evidence-based product selection and advising clinicians to focus on chemovars and Certificates of Analysis rather than terminology like ‘indica’ and ‘sativa’. He also called for modernisation of the sector, from electronic prescribing to improved training pathways, arguing that clinical decisions must remain independent from commercial pressures.

🔗 Explore more about Good Practice in medical cannabis 

NHS Integration – Bridging the Gap Between NHS and Private Providers | Dr Rob Forbes & Dr David Tang

Committee members Dr Rob Forbes and Dr David Tang took part in a panel discussion focused on the two-tier system created by the lack of NHS prescribing of CBPMs, hindered by strict unlicensed medicine rules, a lack of NICE advocacy, and institutional risk aversion. They described barriers ranging from stigma and poor communication to the misclassification of CBPMs as ‘cannabis misuse disorder’ in NHS records.

How Mobile Technology Changed the Way Canadians Access This Site of Gaming

The rise of smartphones fundamentally reshaped how Canadians interact with digital entertainment, and few sectors felt that shift as dramatically as online gaming. Between 2010 and 2020, mobile internet adoption in Canada climbed from roughly 40 percent of the population to over 85 percent, according to data from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. That expansion did not simply add a new device to the mix — it restructured the entire relationship between players and gaming platforms, altering when, where, and how often Canadians chose to engage. Understanding that transformation requires looking beyond the hardware itself and examining the regulatory, technological, and behavioral currents that carried it forward.

The Regulatory Landscape That Made Mobile Gaming Viable in Canada

Canada’s approach to online gaming has always been shaped by its federal structure, with provinces holding significant authority over gambling regulation. For most of the 2000s, that fragmented authority created uncertainty for both operators and players. Ontario’s iGaming framework, which came into full effect in April 2022, marked a turning point. For the first time, a major Canadian province created a competitive, regulated market where private operators could be licensed to offer real-money gaming to residents. That regulatory clarity had a direct effect on mobile development investment: operators who had previously been cautious about building polished, native mobile applications suddenly had a legal and commercial reason to do so.

Before Ontario’s framework, provincial lottery corporations like OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation) and Loto-Québec operated the only officially sanctioned online platforms in their respective jurisdictions. These platforms were functional but not optimized for the mobile experience that players increasingly expected. The arrival of licensed private operators brought with it years of accumulated mobile UX research and development from European and other regulated markets, accelerating the quality of what Canadian players could access on their phones almost overnight.

How Smartphone Hardware Drove Behavioral Change Among Canadian Players

The hardware improvements that arrived between 2015 and 2022 were not incremental — they were structural. The shift from 3G to 4G LTE networks, and then to 5G rollouts beginning in 2020 with carriers like Bell, Rogers, and Telus, reduced latency to the point where live-dealer gaming formats became genuinely playable on a mobile connection. Earlier, a live-streamed casino table game was prone to buffering and disconnection on a mobile network; by 2021, the same session on a 5G connection was often indistinguishable in quality from a desktop experience.

Screen size also played a role that is often underestimated. The average smartphone screen size grew from roughly 3.5 inches in 2010 to over 6.3 inches by 2022. That physical change made interface elements — card values, game controls, account menus — large enough to interact with comfortably without a mouse and keyboard. Game developers responded by redesigning interfaces specifically for portrait and landscape mobile orientations rather than simply scaling down desktop layouts. The result was a product that felt native to the device rather than adapted for it.

Canadian players also shifted their session patterns in measurable ways. Desktop gaming sessions had historically been longer and concentrated in evening hours. Mobile sessions, by contrast, became shorter and more distributed throughout the day — during commutes, lunch breaks, and brief periods of downtime. This behavioral shift pushed operators to rethink game design, favoring shorter round times, faster loading, and streamlined account access. The data gathered from mobile sessions also gave operators a more granular picture of player behavior than desktop analytics had ever provided, enabling more precise responsible gaming tools and session-time notifications.

Platform Architecture and the Technical Infrastructure Behind the Shift

The transition to mobile was not simply a matter of players switching devices. It required a fundamental rethinking of how gaming platforms were built and maintained. Early online gaming platforms were developed using Flash-based technology, which Apple’s iOS had blocked since 2010. That decision by Apple effectively forced the entire industry to migrate to HTML5, a process that was largely complete by 2017. HTML5 allowed games to run directly in a mobile browser without requiring a plugin, which dramatically lowered the barrier to access. A player in Vancouver or Halifax could open a browser on an Android or iOS device and begin playing within seconds, without downloading dedicated software.

The parallel development of dedicated mobile applications added another layer. Native apps, distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, allowed for push notifications, biometric login, and tighter integration with device hardware like cameras for identity verification. Some operators chose a hybrid approach, maintaining a browser-based experience alongside a downloadable app, giving players the choice that suited their preference. The technical complexity of maintaining both pathways increased operating costs, but the player acquisition data consistently showed that users who downloaded a native app had significantly higher retention rates than those who accessed platforms through a browser alone.

Payment infrastructure adapted in parallel. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay became supported deposit methods on a growing number of Canadian gaming platforms after 2019, removing the need to manually enter card details on a small screen. Interac e-Transfer, already familiar to most Canadians from everyday banking, became one of the most widely used deposit and withdrawal methods in the country specifically because it was designed for mobile-first use. The friction that had previously discouraged mobile transactions — fumbling with card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes — was substantially reduced, and conversion rates on mobile deposit attempts rose accordingly. Players researching their options across different platforms can find detailed comparisons on this site, where the technical specifications and payment options for various Canadian-accessible platforms are documented in a structured format.

Responsible Gaming Tools and the Mobile Advantage

One dimension of mobile gaming that receives less attention than it deserves is the effect that smartphone technology has had on responsible gaming infrastructure. Provincial regulators and operators alike have invested in tools designed to help players monitor and manage their activity, and mobile platforms have made those tools more effective in several concrete ways. Real-time session tracking, spend notifications, and deposit limit management are easier to implement and more immediately visible on a mobile interface than they were on desktop platforms, where such features were often buried in account settings menus.

The Responsible Gambling Council of Canada, which operates the national self-exclusion registry known as GameSense, has worked with operators to integrate self-exclusion mechanisms into mobile account management systems. A player who decides to take a break can now initiate that process from their phone in a matter of minutes, whereas previously the process might have required a phone call or an in-person visit. Ontario’s iGaming regulator, iGO (iGaming Ontario), has made responsible gaming tool integration a condition of licensing, which means that every operator legally offering services in Ontario must provide mobile-accessible limit-setting and self-exclusion functionality.

Geolocation technology, enabled by smartphone GPS hardware, has also added a layer of compliance capability that desktop platforms could not replicate. Some jurisdictions require that players be physically located within the province when accessing a platform, and mobile GPS verification makes that check more reliable than IP-address-based methods, which can be circumvented through VPNs or produce false positives when a player is near a provincial border. This technical capability has helped regulators enforce jurisdictional boundaries more consistently, which in turn has supported the argument for expanding regulated access in additional provinces beyond Ontario.

The transformation of Canadian gaming access through mobile technology is not a story with a clear endpoint. 5G infrastructure continues to expand into smaller cities and rural areas, reducing the geographic disparity in connection quality that has historically disadvantaged players outside major urban centers. Augmented reality and more immersive live-dealer formats are already in development, and the processing power of current flagship smartphones is sufficient to run them. What began as a convenience — the ability to play from a couch rather than a desk — has evolved into a complete reimagining of what a gaming platform is and who it can reach. The regulatory frameworks, the hardware improvements, and the behavioral adaptations of Canadian players have each reinforced the others, producing a mobile gaming environment that is more accessible, more technically sophisticated, and more carefully regulated than anything that existed a decade ago.

Panelists called for practical, system-level solutions such as shared documentation standards, interoperable digital systems, GP engagement, and national guidance clarifying responsibilities between sectors. They emphasised that private providers must “get their house in order” on data quality and communication, while NHS stakeholders need clearer pathways and better education.

Exploring the Endocannabinoid System | Dr Rowan Thompson

Dr Rowan Thompson delivered an engaging introduction to the endocannabinoid system (ECS), explaining its core components and its regulatory role across pain, mood, sleep, appetite, immune response, and cognition. Thompson also explored how diet, metabolic health, and chronic disease affect ECS tone, helping explain wide variation in patient responses to THC and CBD. 

ECS dysregulation, he noted, is implicated across conditions commonly treated with CBPMs, from migraine and IBS to fibromyalgia and substance use disorders. Despite being one of the body’s major regulatory systems, the ECS is absent from all UK medical curricula, an omission he argued must be urgently addressed to support safe, effective prescribing.

The Role of the Pharmacist: Best Practice for Dispensing CBPMs | Zul Mamon

Pharmacist and expert committee member Zul Mamon presented an insightful account of current pharmacy-side challenges through the story of ‘Sarah’, a patient whose prescribing journey was marked by delays, poor communication, and uncertainty about how to use her medication. Mamon connected this experience to findings from the 2025 GPhC inspection, which identified widespread issues across 24 CBPM pharmacies, including inadequate access to clinical records, inconsistent safety checks, and insufficient pharmacist involvement in patient education.

He argued that pharmacists must act as clinical gatekeepers, providing safety verification, interaction checks, clear dosing guidance, and ongoing monitoring. To achieve this, the sector needs better training, more robust procurement processes, digital stock tracking, and structured communication between clinics and pharmacies. 

🔗 Read Zul Mamon’s detailed blog taken from his presentation. 

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs in Psychiatry & Neurodiversity | Dr Niraj Singh

Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Niraj Singh, explored the complex interface between CBPMs and psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions, where symptoms often overlap and patients present with multi-system needs. He noted that evidence points to meaningful benefits for selected individuals across anxiety, PTSD, mood instability, agitation, and autism-related symptoms.

Drawing on clinical experience, Dr Singh discussed atypical responses in neurodivergent patients, sex-based differences in THC requirements, and the value of balanced oils for daytime functioning. He stressed the need for cautious titration, robust follow-up, and clinician understanding of vulnerabilities such as trauma, emotional dysregulation, or sensory sensitivity. 

Looking Forward: The Future of Cannabis Medicine in the UK | Dr Richard Hazlett

GP, Dr Richard Hazlett, took part in a forward-looking panel which discussed how to scale medical cannabis responsibly over the next five years. Panelists envisioned GP-initiated prescribing, NHS engagement, and more accessible formats such as vapourisers, pastilles, and transdermal systems. Education emerged as the most significant bottleneck, with almost no ECS content in medical training. The panel called for impartial, evidence-based guideline development led by professional bodies, alongside more regulatory engagement as patient numbers rise.

They also highlighted major cost-saving opportunities for the NHS, citing conditions like cluster headache and the broader potential for reduced polypharmacy and return-to-work outcomes. If one change could be made today, panellists prioritised enabling specialist GPs to prescribe, expanding product formats, and establishing robust training pathways.

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs for Pain Management | Professor Mike Barnes

Returning to the stage, Professor Barnes reviewed the substantial evidence supporting CBPMs for chronic pain, which represents 55% of UK prescriptions. He presented data from 66 RCTs and over 20,000 participants demonstrating efficacy across neuropathic, arthritic, spasticity-related, cancer-related, and post-surgical pain. THC is the primary analgesic agent, supported by multiple minor cannabinoids and terpenes, while CBD contributes by improving sleep and anxiety.

Typical therapeutic doses range from 10–30 mg THC per day, with real-world averages around 15 mg, and no evidence of tolerance escalation. Prof Barnes also highlighted strong data showing opioid reductions of up to 50% in many patients and potential population-level benefits in reducing opioid-related deaths. He referenced the health economics analysis which suggested medical cannabis could save billions for the NHS through reduced medication burden and improved functional outcomes.

Beyond the Benefits: Recognising Risks, Side-effects & Contraindications of CBPMs | Dr Jenny Forbes 

Dr Jennifer Forbes, GP and addictions specialist, offered a practical overview of the key risks, side-effects and contraindications associated with prescribing unlicensed CBPMs, emphasising that rising patient demand must be matched with careful, accountable clinical practice. She highlighted how different formulations carry varying risk profiles, with oils and capsules offering more predictable dosing, while flower and vape cartridges deliver faster onset but higher THC peaks and increased likelihood of adverse events. Drug–drug interactions were underscored as a major concern, particularly CBD-related CYP450 inhibition affecting medications such as clobazam, SSRIs and warfarin.

Forbes stressed the importance of structured risk–benefit reasoning, thorough history-taking and clear communication about the unlicensed nature of treatment, driving rules and pregnancy considerations. She encouraged clinicians to titrate slowly, aim for the lowest effective THC exposure, and to use regular reviews, symptom diaries and the MHRA Yellow Card scheme to monitor safety. 

Practicalities for Prescribing CBPMs in Women’s Health | Dr Dani Gordon

Dr Dani Gordon explored the wide applicability of CBPMs across women’s health, including menopause, PMDD, endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, postpartum symptoms, and neurodivergent presentations. She emphasised that women often present with interconnected issues making cannabis particularly suited to holistic symptom modulation.

Gordon discussed mechanisms including inflammation modulation, stress-axis regulation, and emerging evidence around mast cell involvement in endometriosis. She noted that women may require lower THC doses on average, and that oils are typically first-line, with inhaled options reserved for acute symptoms. Tracking symptoms across the menstrual cycle is essential for prescribing, as responses to cannabinoids may shift with hormonal fluctuations.

How to prescribe medical cannabis workshops 

The Society also hosted two successful workshops during the event. Committee members Dr Jen Forbes and Dr Richard Hazlett, alongside Richard Cupit of PiB Insurance, delivered a session on How to Start Prescribing Medical Cannabis. This was followed by an overview of best practice and guidelines for dosing medical medical cannabis, delivered by Dr Rowan Thompson, an editor of our new publication on this topic. 

 

A big thank you to all the clinicians and Society members who took part on the day.

New training and resources based on the committee-led talks will be available soon for any members who were unable to attend the symposium. Looking to join the Society? Find out more and sign up here.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society has released an important new clinical reference text for prescribers: Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children.

This comprehensive handbook brings together clear, evidence-based protocols for dosing, titrating, and monitoring medical cannabis promoting safe practice in real-world settings. It is now available as a PDF and Kindle eBook, with a print edition to follow.

Why this handbook matters

Prescribers working with medical cannabis oils have not had a single, structured, practical resource to guide dosing and titration. This publication fills that gap with detailed dosing tables for twelve commonly treated conditions, including chronic pain, epilepsy, autism, anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders.

It also sets out step-by-step recommendations for safe initiation, titration, monitoring, managing adverse effects, recognising drug interactions, and applying harm-reduction principles.

The handbook is edited by Dr Evan Cole Lewis, paediatric and adult neurologist and Assistant Professor at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, and Dr Rowan Thompson, Resident Doctor. Both are members of the Society’s Executive Committee and bring extensive experience in cannabinoid medicine. Other members of the Committee contributed clinical insights, case experience and technical input throughout the development of the handbook. 

The text marries up-to-date evidence in condition-specific medical cannabis dosing with the collective expertise of key prescribers who have treated thousands of patients. Together this knowledge has helped shape this practical, evidence-informed resource that reflects real-world UK and North American prescribing practices. The guide provides clear, structured protocols that support safe prescribing in everyday clinical environments, with safety and clarity at the centre of its approach.

For many clinicians, formal teaching on the endocannabinoid system and cannabis-based medicines was absent from undergraduate and postgraduate training. This handbook closes that knowledge gap, giving prescribers a solid foundation for dosing cannabis oils, titrating confidently, and adjusting treatment to optimise patient outcomes.

A milestone for clinical practice

This publication represents a significant step forward for clinicians working with cannabis-based medicines in the UK and North America. It sets out standardised guidance shaped by the experience of prescribers who have been practising safely and effectively for many years.

The handbook aligns with the Society’s CPD-accredited medical cannabis training programme and supports clinicians to deliver consistent, evidence-based care across a wide range of conditions.

How the Challenge Cup Became a Betting Landmark, Explored by Betzella

The Challenge Cup is one of the oldest knockout rugby league competitions in the world, with roots stretching back to 1896 when the Northern Union — the forerunner to the Rugby Football League — first organised a structured cup competition for its member clubs. Over more than a century of play, the tournament has evolved from a regional northern England affair into a nationally broadcast spectacle, with Wembley Stadium serving as its spiritual home since 1929. That long, unbroken history has made the Challenge Cup not just a sporting institution but a significant fixture in the British sports betting calendar, one that attracts consistent wagering activity from the opening rounds through to the final in late summer.

A History That Created Betting Patterns

Understanding why the Challenge Cup generates such sustained betting interest requires looking at the structural features that distinguish it from league competition. As a knockout format, every match carries elimination stakes — there are no second chances, no points accumulated over a season. This binary outcome structure is precisely what makes cup football and cup rugby so attractive to bettors. The tension is compressed into ninety minutes, and the upset potential in a draw that pits lower-division clubs against Super League sides creates odds discrepancies that experienced bettors have long learned to analyse carefully.

The early rounds of the Challenge Cup, sometimes called the preliminary or qualifying rounds, have historically featured amateur and community clubs drawn against professional outfits. Since the Rugby Football League formalised the competition structure in its current form — with Super League clubs entering at the fifth round — there has been a consistent pattern of giant-killing results. Featherstone Rovers defeating higher-ranked opponents, or Leigh Centurions causing upsets before their own Super League promotion, are the kinds of historical precedents that shape how odds compilers approach early-round pricing. Bookmakers must account for genuine uncertainty in these fixtures, and that uncertainty is exactly where informed bettors find value.

By the 1990s, with the arrival of satellite broadcasting and the formation of Super League in 1996, the Challenge Cup gained significantly wider television exposure. Sky Sports coverage brought the competition to audiences beyond the traditional heartlands of West Yorkshire and Lancashire, and with that visibility came a corresponding increase in betting volumes. The 1996 restructuring of rugby league — which also shifted the season from winter to summer — changed the Challenge Cup’s position in the sporting calendar, placing the final in August and giving it a distinctive slot free from direct competition with football’s FA Cup or Carabao Cup finals.

How Odds Compilers Approach the Competition

The Challenge Cup presents specific challenges for trading teams at sportsbooks. Unlike the Premier League, where years of data on head-to-head records, squad depth, injury patterns and home advantage can be fed into sophisticated models, the cup format introduces variables that are harder to quantify. A Super League club might rotate its squad in the early rounds, fielding academy players and fringe squad members to protect key players for the league campaign. This squad management behaviour directly affects the accuracy of pre-match odds, and bettors who track team selection news closely have historically been able to identify mispriced lines.

Handicap betting has become particularly prominent in Challenge Cup markets. When a Super League club faces a Championship or League One opponent, the match odds market often becomes one-sided to the point of offering little value. The handicap market — where one team is given a points start — redistributes the probability and creates a more competitive wagering environment. In recent seasons, Asian handicap variants have been introduced by several operators for the more high-profile rounds, reflecting the growing sophistication of rugby league betting markets in Britain.

In-play betting has also transformed how the Challenge Cup is consumed by bettors. The scoring structure of rugby league — with tries worth four points, conversions two, drop goals one and penalties two — creates frequent score changes that generate a dynamic live odds environment. A team that scores two quick tries can shift from outsider to favourite within minutes, and bookmakers must manage their liability exposure in real time. Resources such as http://www.betzella.com/challenge-cup-betting/ aggregate market data and provide context on how odds move across different stages of the competition, which helps bettors understand the pricing logic behind specific fixtures rather than simply reacting to the numbers presented to them.

The Final as a Betting Event

The Challenge Cup final at Wembley has developed its own distinct betting culture. Unlike the semi-finals, which are often played at neutral venues across the north of England, the final draws a national audience and commands attention from bettors who may follow rugby league only peripherally during the regular season. This influx of casual money — what the industry refers to as recreational or square money — often creates temporary distortions in the market that more experienced bettors seek to exploit.

The 2022 final between Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants, for instance, attracted considerable betting interest partly because it was the first final held at Wembley after COVID-19 restrictions had prevented full-capacity crowds in 2021. Wigan, with their record number of Challenge Cup victories — they have won the trophy more than any other club, with over twenty titles — were installed as favourites, and the market reflected the weight of historical precedent as much as current form. This is a recurring dynamic in cup finals: the prestige of the occasion and the narrative weight of historical success influence public betting behaviour in ways that can move lines away from what purely statistical models would suggest.

Betzella has documented how the final week before the Challenge Cup final consistently sees a surge in outright and match betting activity, with a notable increase in accumulator bets that combine the final result with other weekend fixtures. This accumulator behaviour is partly driven by the final’s placement in August, when the football season is just beginning and bettors are naturally combining early Premier League matches with the rugby league showpiece. The cross-sport accumulator market is one area where operators have invested in building specific Challenge Cup promotions, though the underlying demand comes from the organic appeal of the competition itself.

Player performance markets have also grown substantially around the final. First try scorer, anytime try scorer, and man of the match betting are now standard offerings, and the Challenge Cup final — with its high-stakes environment and tendency to produce individual moments of brilliance — is well suited to these formats. Betzella’s analysis of historical final results shows that the first try scorer market in particular has been a source of consistent value when pre-match team news confirms a specific attacking player’s starting position, since the odds are often set before confirmed selections are made public.

Regulatory Context and Market Development

The growth of Challenge Cup betting has not occurred in isolation from the broader regulatory environment governing sports wagering in Britain. The Gambling Act 2005 created the framework under which online betting on rugby league — and the Challenge Cup specifically — operates, and subsequent reviews by the Gambling Commission have tightened requirements around advertising, responsible gambling messaging, and data integrity. The Rugby Football League itself has a commercial relationship with the betting industry through official betting partnerships, which have included major operators providing pitch-side branding and digital advertising during televised matches.

Integrity monitoring is a formal part of the Challenge Cup’s administrative structure. The Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, which operates in cooperation with governing bodies across British sport, monitors suspicious betting patterns on rugby league matches. The lower-division rounds of the Challenge Cup — where player earnings are modest and professional infrastructure is limited — have historically been identified as a category requiring closer scrutiny, though the RFL’s educational programmes for players and officials have worked to address vulnerability to match-fixing approaches.

The introduction of the Gambling Commission’s National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, published in 2019 and updated subsequently, has also influenced how operators market Challenge Cup betting products. Restrictions on bonus offers, enhanced requirements for affordability checks, and tighter rules on the use of credit cards for gambling deposits have all shaped the commercial environment within which Challenge Cup betting markets operate. These regulatory changes have not diminished interest in the competition as a betting event, but they have shifted the profile of who participates and how operators can communicate with their customer base.

The Challenge Cup’s journey from a regional knockout competition played in front of modest crowds in the north of England to a nationally recognised betting landmark reflects both the growth of rugby league as a broadcast sport and the broader maturation of the British sports betting market. The competition’s structural characteristics — knockout format, mixed-division draws, a prestigious Wembley final — align naturally with the conditions that generate sustained betting interest. For anyone seeking to understand rugby league wagering beyond surface-level match odds, the Challenge Cup offers a genuinely instructive case study in how history, competition structure, and market dynamics interact to produce a betting event with genuine depth and complexity.

Clinicians are encouraged to use the handbook alongside two key MCCS resources:

Together, these resources provide a unified framework for safe, consistent prescribing across the UK.

Part of a growing series

A second publication in this series is already being developed: Medical Cannabis Flower (Flos), minor cannabinoids and terpenes: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment. This follow-on text will provide detailed protocols for prescribing inhaled cannabis products and is expected in the coming months.

Buy Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children.

This key resource for all prescribers of medical cannabis in the UK is available to buy now:

MCCS members can access an exclusive discount code for the PDF edition via the Members’ Hub. Please note, this is a professional clinical reference and not a patient-facing guide. 

Hear from the editors in our upcoming webinar

A free webinar, hosted by the handbook’s editors Dr Evan Cole Lewis and Dr Rowan Thompson, is taking place on 15 January, 2026 at 7pm. The session will walk through how to use the new dosing guide in practice, covering titration strategies, start-low-go-slow principles, when to introduce THC, and how to apply the handbook’s clinical frameworks safely.

Sign up for the webinar here

Congratulations to consultant psychiatrist Dr Luisa Searle, member of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society Expert Committee, who has been named Clinician of the Year at the 2025 Cannabis Industry Awards. The award was presented and sponsored by British Cannabis, recognising excellence, innovation, and compassion in clinical practice.

A member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists with more than 15 years’ experience, Dr Searle has worked across general adult psychiatry, substance misuse and complex dual-diagnosis care. Her clinical approach bridges conventional and emerging therapies, with special interest in medical cannabis, nutritional psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted treatments for resistant depression and substance-use disorders. Dr Searle’s earlier work as lead consultant for substance-misuse services in Westminster and for Camden & Islington’s under-18 and under-25 programmes helped shape outreach pathways for vulnerable and homeless populations.

Now consulting independently through Mind Balance and Cantourage, Dr Searle continues to champion a holistic, evidence-informed model of care that integrates empathy, patient empowerment, and novel treatment modalities.

On receiving her award, Dr Searle told attendees, “When you keep empathy at the heart of everything you do, you can always find a way to help your patients on their journey.”

As an Expert Committee member of the Society, Dr Searle supports new and experienced members alike, sharing her insights to help clinicians practise confidently and safely in this evolving field.

The Society’s Chair, Professor Mike Barnes, congratulated her on the win, noting that “Dr Searle is a superb example of what good clinical care looks like – kind, thoughtful and always guided by evidence. Her award is well deserved and reflects the best of our community.”

The MCCS is the UK’s independent, not-for-profit network for healthcare professionals working with or learning about medical cannabis. With over 500 members, the Society provides CPD-accredited training, clinical guidance, peer support, and advocacy to improve safe patient access across the UK and beyond.

If you’re a clinician interested in understanding or prescribing medical cannabis, join the independent network trusted by regulators and led by experts.

Dr Searle (left) with the other winners of the CI Awards 2025.

Dr Searle (left) with the other winners of the CI Awards 2025.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society has joined forces with Curaleaf Laboratories to help further its mission to empower clinicians with credible education on cannabis-based medicine.

We caught up with the Curaleaf team to find out more about why education is so central to its work in the sector.

Originally founded as Rokshaw Laboratories by brothers Jonathan and Richard Hodgson in 2012, Curaleaf Laboratories has now been manufacturing ‘specials’ or unlicensed medicines for more than a decade.

Following the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2018, the company shifted its focus towards cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs), becoming one of the most established manufacturers in the UK.

It went on to be acquired by EMMAC Life Sciences, later becoming Curaleaf International, and in 2024, the medical cannabis division of Rokshaw was rebranded as Curaleaf Laboratories to align with the broader brand across the UK.

“A lot of the staff who have been involved since the original specials and unlicensed medicines route are still here, which gives us an advantage from a quality and a regulatory perspective,” says Jonathan Hodgson, now UK Managing Director of Curaleaf International.

“We’ve helped patients and clinicians alike address unmet clinical needs through unlicensed medicines for a long time. While the adoption of medical cannabis is only in its infancy, we want to help widen access to this option. Through our previous experience with other unlicensed medicines, we are in the privileged position to be ready to help the hundreds of thousands of patients who will access these medicines over the coming years.”

The importance of clinician education

Through years of educating a range of clinicians on unlicensed medicines, Curaleaf Laboratories has seen how healthcare professionals are often unfamiliar or sceptical of these therapies. And nowhere is education more important than in the complex landscape of cannabis-based medicines.

While much of the focus of the medical cannabis sector is on driving patient demand, clinician education remains central to Curaleaf’s strategy, recognising that doctors play an important role in ensuring medical cannabis is prescribed to the right patients, at the right dose, and at the right time. It believes that by presenting balanced evidence to professionals, wider patient access and public awareness will follow.

The team regularly attends educational events around the country, often at leading medical institutions such as the British Pain Society, enabling them to engage with doctors directly. But many are still unaware that cannabis-based medicines are legal to prescribe.

“Providing education has always been hugely important to us,” says Hodgson.

“In order for us as a medical community to adequately support patients, it is important that healthcare professionals (HCPs) are able to access much-needed education on cannabis-based medicines so they can help their patients through guiding access or prescribing directly.”

Curaleaf Laboratories’ outreach work also involves engaging with private providers to expand access, including those not currently prescribing CBPMs, such as clinics specialising in chronic conditions.

It delivers workshops, in-practice support, and bespoke educational content. Its in-house programme supports clinics and prescribers with training and practical steps such as Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration updates, insurance, dosing and formulary advice, and prescription pad support for those who are new to private prescribing and unlicensed medicines.

A shared vision and values

Curaleaf Laboratories hopes to build on this work in partnership with the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS).

To help tackle both practical and perceptual barriers to prescribing, Curaleaf Laboratories will support the MCCS to deliver its existing clinician education programmes and become the central source of information for UK prescribers as we move forward.

“Our partnership with MCCS solidifies our commitment to providing further education to prescribers and the wider HCP network in the UK,” Hodgson adds.

“We have already made big waves in HCP education, and we look forward to further improving our programme with the help of the expertise of the MCCS.”

Professor Mike Barnes, Chair of the MCCS, commented: “The Society is very grateful to have the support of Curaleaf Laboratories. We believe the shared values and vision of the team will enable us to continue our work empowering professionals with evidence-based CPD-accredited cannabis education, and we look forward to working together with the ultimate goal of enabling more patients to benefit from these therapies.”

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is grateful for the continued support from our industry partners, which enables us to achieve our objectives. Any organisations interested in collaborating are encouraged to reach out and explore how we can work together.

 

To all members of the Society, our Supporters and friends,

It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that our Society Director and Co-Founder, Hannah Deacon, passed away on Tuesday 6 May, surrounded by those who loved her, after a short and brutal illness. She was just 45.

 

This devastating loss to Hannah’s beloved partner Drew, and children Alfie and Annie, is impossible to put into words.
Hannah was remarkable: determined, tenacious, and fiercely compassionate. Her fight to find treatment for her son Alfie’s rare and severe epilepsy led to a breakthrough that changed his life and ultimately changed the law. She went on to transform the lives of thousands of patients and families, never stopping in her work to push for better access, better care, and a better understanding of medical cannabis.
More than anything, Hannah’s most proud and important role was being a mum. Alfie and Annie were her world. She adored them. Everything she fought for came from her enduring love for them and wish to make the world kinder and fairer.
Hannah was our brave, beautiful partner, daughter, sister, and friend. She made us laugh, made us think, and made us feel stronger just by being there. All of us are better for knowing her.  We only wish we could have had more time.
We will share more in the days ahead to honour Hannah’s life, her work, and the legacy she leaves behind. We want to reassure you that the Society will continue, just as Hannah wanted. 
Update: April 2026 – Read Hannah’s Story and legacy

Since the legalisation of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBPMs) in the UK in November 2018, around 40,000 patients have received these treatments, with numbers steadily increasing. There are currently 40 clinics and about 140 prescribers operating within the private sector.

However, the adoption of these medicines within the NHS has been slow, and there are no compulsory training requirements for prescribers. This has led to significant variations in clinical practice.

To address these challenges, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) has developed a Good Practice Guide. This guide aims to support prescribers and ensure patients can safely access these valuable medicines. While it is tailored primarily for clinics that focus on prescribing cannabis, the fundamental principles are relevant to a broader range of medical settings.

The MCCS hopes this guide will be adopted widely, pleading to practices that benefit patients and improve the overall quality of the medical cannabis industry.  This effort highlights our dedication to raising standards and supporting prescribers with practical, applicable guidelines and support.

Download the Good Practice Guide >>>

 

You can access all our public publications – including this recently published Good Practice Guide – on our website.

Not yet a member? Join the Society.

Together with the Cannabis Industry Council and Drug Science, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is pleased to announce the first-ever Cannabis Industry Awards. 

The event is being held during Medical Cannabis Awareness Week, making it a fitting occasion to celebrate excellence in the UK cannabis sector.

The Cannabis Industry Awards is set to be a key event for the UK cannabis community. It will bring together professionals from across the industry, including CEOs, founders, doctors, scientists, and other leading figures. Guests will enjoy a three-course meal, with entertainment provided by a comedian and table magicians. Following the dinner, there will be an after-party at a nearby venue, offering further opportunities to connect and celebrate.

About the Awards

The evening will feature two awards: the Social Impact Award and the Contribution to Science Award. These awards are designed to recognise individuals who have made notable contributions to the cannabis industry. 

Nominations are open from 2 September to 1 October, with a public vote from 4 to 25 October to decide the winners, reflecting the views and values of both industry insiders and the wider community.

Dr Leon Barron, Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, said:

“The Cannabis Industry Awards Dinner is a chance for us to come together and celebrate the progress we’ve made in the UK cannabis sector, particularly in improving access for patients and supporting clinicians in prescribing since 2018. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals who are helping to shape the future of the industry in two key areas. I’m looking forward to what will undoubtedly be a memorable evening.”

Buy your tickets 

To purchase your tickets, visit the official Eventbrite page. 

Book Your Tickets

 

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

While the Contribution to Science Award has been sponsored by Gowling WLG, there is still an opportunity for an organisation to sponsor the Social Impact Award. This sponsorship offers a chance to show support for social responsibility within the cannabis industry.

How Starling Bank Reshaped Digital Payments for UK Bettors, Explored by Betzella

When Starling Bank launched its current account in 2017, few in the gambling industry anticipated how significantly a mobile-first challenger bank would alter the relationship between UK bettors and their finances. Unlike traditional high street banks, which had spent decades building payment infrastructure around physical branches and legacy systems, Starling entered the market with an architecture designed entirely around real-time data, instant notifications, and granular user controls. For the millions of UK adults who bet regularly on sports, casino games, or other licensed gambling products, this represented a meaningful shift in how deposits and withdrawals could be managed with precision and transparency.

The Architecture Behind Starling’s Payment Controls

Starling Bank operates on a proprietary core banking platform rather than the outsourced or decades-old systems that underpin most established UK banks. This matters for bettors because it allows the bank to process transactions and deliver push notifications in genuine real-time — typically within seconds of a payment being initiated. When a customer deposits funds at a licensed betting operator, they receive an immediate notification detailing the merchant name, the amount, and a running balance. This level of transparency was largely absent from traditional banking before the challenger bank era.

More structurally significant is Starling’s Gambling Block feature, introduced in 2018. Unlike the blunt spending freezes offered by some competitors, Starling’s implementation allows customers to toggle gambling transactions off entirely through the app, with the change taking effect almost immediately. The block operates at the Merchant Category Code (MCC) level — specifically MCC 7995, which covers betting, casino gaming, and lottery transactions — meaning it applies across all licensed gambling merchants without requiring the customer to specify individual operators. This approach aligns with recommendations that emerged from the UK Gambling Commission’s ongoing work on safer gambling tools, which has consistently emphasised the importance of friction-reducing mechanisms for self-exclusion.

The bank also introduced spending insights that categorise gambling expenditure separately from other discretionary spending, giving customers a clear month-by-month view of what they are committing to betting activity. For bettors who track their own profitability or manage a defined recreational budget, this categorisation removes the manual work of reviewing statements and identifying individual transactions across multiple operators.

How Starling Fits into the Broader UK Betting Payment Landscape

The UK online gambling market processed an estimated £14.3 billion in gross gambling yield during the 2022–23 financial year, according to Gambling Commission data, with remote betting and casino products accounting for the substantial majority of that figure. The payment methods underpinning those transactions have evolved considerably since the early days of online betting, moving from predominantly debit card and bank transfer arrangements toward a more fragmented ecosystem that includes e-wallets, prepaid cards, and open banking solutions.

Starling sits within this landscape as a bank account rather than a payment intermediary, which carries specific implications. Deposits made from a Starling account to a licensed UK operator are treated as standard debit card transactions processed through the Mastercard network — Starling issues Mastercard debit cards to its customers. This means they benefit from the same consumer protections applicable to debit card payments while also gaining the bank-level controls described above. Withdrawals from betting accounts back to Starling typically complete within one to three business days, consistent with standard UK faster payments timelines, though some operators have integrated more rapid payout processes.

For bettors researching which banking options are compatible with specific operators, resources such as https://www.betzella.com/starling-bank-betting-sites/ provide structured information on which licensed platforms accept Starling deposits and withdrawals, a practical reference given that operator payment policies vary and are updated periodically. The compatibility question is not trivial: some operators have historically imposed restrictions on certain challenger bank cards, though this has become less common as digital banks have grown their customer bases and established clearer compliance frameworks with the UK Gambling Commission’s licensing requirements.

Regulatory Context and Responsible Gambling Obligations

The relationship between banking infrastructure and gambling regulation in the UK has grown considerably more complex since the Gambling Act 2005 was enacted. That legislation, designed for a pre-smartphone era, is currently undergoing its most significant review in two decades, with the Gambling Act Review white paper published in April 2023 introducing proposals around affordability checks, stake limits for online slots, and enhanced requirements for operators to share data with a statutory levy-funded research and treatment body.

Within this regulatory environment, the role of banks in supporting responsible gambling has attracted specific attention. The Gambling Commission has encouraged financial institutions to develop and promote gambling transaction controls, and Starling’s Gambling Block is frequently cited as an example of what proactive implementation looks like in practice. The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates Starling as an authorised deposit-taking institution, has separately explored how open banking data might be used to identify customers at risk of financial harm — a category that overlaps meaningfully with problem gambling.

Starling has also been transparent about its approach to business banking for gambling operators themselves. The bank does not provide business accounts to gambling companies, a policy decision that reflects both risk appetite and reputational considerations, though it does not affect individual customers who use personal accounts to fund their betting activity at operators licensed by the Gambling Commission. This distinction is worth understanding clearly: Starling’s restrictions on the operator side do not translate into any restriction on individual customers making deposits at licensed sites using their personal Starling debit cards.

Practical Considerations for Bettors Using Starling

From a day-to-day operational perspective, bettors using Starling accounts encounter a relatively consistent experience across licensed UK operators. Deposits are generally processed instantly, as is standard for debit card transactions on Mastercard’s network. The minimum and maximum deposit limits are determined by the operator rather than the bank, though Starling does apply its own transaction monitoring processes as part of its anti-money laundering obligations under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017.

One area where bettors sometimes encounter friction is with operators that use third-party payment processors whose systems may not correctly identify Starling’s BIN (Bank Identification Number) ranges, occasionally causing transactions to be declined at the processor level rather than the bank level. This has become less frequent as Starling’s card base has expanded — the bank reported over three million personal current account customers by 2023 — but it remains a possibility worth being aware of. In such cases, contacting the operator’s customer support to confirm compatibility is typically the most efficient resolution path.

Withdrawals from betting accounts to Starling benefit from the bank’s real-time payment processing, meaning funds arriving via Faster Payments are credited immediately and visible in the app with a corresponding notification. This contrasts with some traditional bank accounts where incoming transfers may take several hours to appear despite the underlying payment having been received. For bettors who manage their bankroll actively or who want immediate visibility of returned funds, this responsiveness is a practical advantage rather than a marketing claim — it reflects the technical architecture of how Starling processes incoming payments at its core banking layer. Betzella has documented this operational pattern across multiple operator and payment method combinations, noting that Starling’s real-time credit behaviour is among the more consistent in the digital banking category.

Starling Bank’s emergence as a meaningful option for UK bettors reflects a broader convergence between financial technology and the gambling sector’s evolving payment infrastructure. The bank did not design its features specifically for bettors, but the combination of real-time notifications, transparent spending categorisation, and a user-controlled gambling block has made it a functionally well-suited option for those who want greater oversight of their betting expenditure. As the regulatory environment continues to develop under the Gambling Act Review, the intersection of banking controls and gambling behaviour is likely to attract further attention from both the Gambling Commission and the FCA — and the infrastructure that challenger banks like Starling have built may increasingly inform what regulators consider standard practice for financial institutions serving customers who bet. Betzella’s analysis of this space suggests that understanding the banking layer of gambling transactions is becoming as important as understanding the operators themselves.

For organisations interested in sponsoring the Social Impact Award, please contact Sam Cannon at [email protected] for more information.

As part of our commitment to keeping healthcare professionals at the forefront of medical cannabis knowledge, we are pleased to give you access to a detailed webinar and a new research paper by Dr. Stefan Broselid, Scientific Lead at the Medical Cannabis Clinicians’ Society.

Webinar Recording

This webinar explores the endocannabinoidome (eCBome) — an advanced version of the endocannabinoid system. This session, which took place on 11 June 2024, provides a comprehensive understanding of how this complex system affects various body processes and how you can target it effectively with cannabis-based treatments. Member’s can access this recording via the Member’s Area. 

Research Paper

Dr. Broselid’s linked paper, “The Endocannabinoidome: A Pivotal Physiological Regulator and Therapeutic Target – Implications for Medical Education and Personalized Medicine”, goes beyond theory to discuss practical implications for clinical practice, especially in prescribing and managing cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs).

Download the paper>>>

For more information, questions, or to discuss the content, please do not hesitate to get in touch wit the Society by emailing [email protected].

As clinicians committed to the advancement of medical cannabis treatment, staying at the forefront of patient care is a constant pursuit. The Society (MCCS) champions the integration of medical cannabis into patient management, advocating for evidence-based application.

For those members eager to expand their private practice with medical cannabis prescribing, Script Assist’s Find A Doctor service stands as a transformative resource designed to elevate your clinical practice.

Streamline Your Workflow & Improve Efficiency: Say goodbye to administrative headaches and inefficiencies. With Script Assist’s live inventory feature, you can easily manage product availability and streamline prescription updates in real-time. Our printable FP10s ensure accurate and efficient prescription management, minimizing errors and maximizing patient safety. Furthermore, our one-click re-prescribing feature simplifies monthly re-prescribing, ensuring efficient clinic workflows and patient satisfaction.

Empowering Patients and Enhancing Engagement: Empower your patients with the tools they need to take control of their healthcare journey. With Script Assist’s Patient App, patients can book appointments, attend telehealth consultations, and track prescriptions—all from the convenience of their smartphone. This not only improves patient satisfaction but also reduces the administrative burden on your practice.

Collaboration at Your Fingertips: Collaborative care is essential for providing comprehensive treatment plans. With Script Assist, you can access Multidisciplinary Team Reviews for any new or complex patients, to ensure alignment with GMC guidance. Not only that, but you can easily add medical secretaries, clinic admins, and other healthcare professionals to facilitate re-prescribing and streamline clinic operations.

Customise Your Experience to Suit You: At Script Assist, we understand that every practice and every doctor is unique. That’s why our platform is fully customisable, allowing you to tailor it to your practice’s specific needs. Whether you’re replacing existing software packages or integrating Script Assist seamlessly into your current workflow, we’ve got you covered.

Expand Your Reach & Maintain Control: As members of Script Assist’s Find A Doctor platform, you gain access to a vast network of patients seeking medical cannabis treatment. Expand your practice and engage with patients directly, all while maintaining complete control over your schedule and practice scale. With full visibility of patients prior to engagement, you can provide personalized care from the moment they walk through your door.

Taking the Next Step

The introduction of Find A Doctor goes beyond creating a directory for patients to find specialists; it offers specialists a chance to enhance their practice’s visibility and connect with patients seeking comprehensive care that includes medical cannabis. Joining signifies more than access to a streamlined portal; it’s about broadening your practice’s reach and affirming your dedication to patient-focused care.

By leveraging Script Assist’s Find A Doctor, you not only streamline your practice’s operations but also play a pivotal role in the progressive integration of medical cannabis into mainstream healthcare. It’s an invitation to join a community of forward-thinking clinicians who are shaping the future of patient care in the UK. Don’t wait to take your practice to the next level with Script Assist’s Find A Doctor — a step towards enhancing patient outcomes across the UK.

Speak to Script Assist today; [email protected]