2005 Gambling Act “a complete failure”
Massive gaming halls once planned for London should be reconsidered as the U.K. gaming industry promotes more responsible gambling, says a former Scotland Yard special ops officer who now works for Caesars Entertainment.
Roy Ramm is now the governance and public affairs director at the U.S.-based gaming giant. He slammed the current 2005 Gambling Act as a “complete failure” that has not created a robust industry to aid communities that bid for casinos. Sixteen licenses were granted, according to the London Evening Standard, but only two have opened.
Ramm, a former commander of specialist operations at Scotland Yard, says a new responsible gaming initiative called Playing Safe will bolster responsible gaming practices within the industry; Caesars, which operates three casinos in London, is the first company to win a certificate of good practice.
“This is about making sure gambling is a pastime, not a problem for people. For a tiny percentage, less than 3 percent, it becomes a problem,” Ramm told the Standard.
Plans for the giant gaming centers were shelved by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The U.K. Gambling Commission’s new social responsibility code includes self-exclusion policies that would be underwritten by operators. It was drafted by the commission and the Remote Gambling Association in consultation with representatives from Bet 365, Betfair, Paddy Power, SkyBet, Coral Racing and William Hill.
“The costs will need to be funded in full by the industry, being both the costs of the scheme itself plus any additional running costs to administer it,” according to the proposal.
Meanwhile, current Prime Minister David Cameron has offered his support to a Sheffield man who says gambling addiction almost destroyed his family. Adam Bradford, who launched the #gambleresponsibly campaign, says his father David stole more than £50,000 (US$78,000) from his employer so he could keep gambling. He was sent to prison for seven months and is now in danger of losing his home.
“We do, of course, want to see the gambling industry do more to recognize and mitigate the dangers of excessive gambling so fewer people fall victim to gambling addiction,” Cameron said.
“It feels like a breakthrough,” said Sheffield. “I know my dad is really pleased with it. It means this year’s worth of campaigning has all been worth it. Having gone through all this grief we can spin it on its head and do something positive about it.”
