The Charity Commission has said it is "assessing concerns" about the Responsible Gambling Trust, which has been accused of commissioning research from a company with a commercial interest in gambling.

The charity has said that it rejects the allegations, which were reported in yesterday’s Times newspaper.

The Times wrote that the charity has been “accused of taking a sympathetic approach to the industry and commissioning a company with a commercial interest in gambling to conduct research into betting machines” and drew attention to potential conflicts of interest on the charity’s board and research committee.

In a statement the charity said: “The RGT has robust procedures in place and we are a fully independent charity committed to minimising gambling-related harm. Our research committee is chaired by professor Jo Wolff and oversees all research matters. Industry-related trustees are not involved in that process.”

It added that: “The accusations are unspecific and essentially amount to saying that the RGT is funded by the gambling industry. That is not a secret and indeed the growing support we have received from the industry has meant we have been able to significantly increase our funding for research and treatment.

“What is utterly false is any suggestion that our funding sources compromise our independence. They do not and no evidence has been presented otherwise.”

The Commission said: “We are aware of the concerns in the media and have subsequently received a complaint relating to the Responsible Gambling Trust. The commission is assessing those concerns to see if there is a regulatory role for the commission. The charity has been in contact with the commission and is co-operating with our assessment.”