Delivering the keynote address at the recent World Regulatory Briefing in London, Sarah Harrison, chief executive of the UK Gambling Commission, pointed out UK gambling operators currently contribute on an annual voluntary basis .63 million for research, education and problem gambling treatment. “By contrast, 9 million was spent on TV advertising in the same year. That cannot be right–.63 million is nowhere near enough,” Harrison said.
She added, “If the Responsible Gaming Trust were able to rely on a minimum of 0.1 percent of every operator’s GGY, that would provide a ballpark figure of $13-$15 million, which is beginning to be a much more credible sum for such an important task. How can it be fair that some operators, large and small, contribute year in and year out while others get a free ride?” Harrison continued, “GB operators now face a key opportunity to give credible commitment to the voluntary based system for supporting research, education and treatment, or face stronger calls for mandatory action.”
She also reminded participants that “advertising, fixed odds betting terminals, lone workers in betting shops, crime linked to gambling, issues around the normalization of gambling in British society, have all been topics for debate and serve to raise the prominence of gambling and associated issues in people’s minds. The high-profile public debate over fixed odds betting terminals–a hard form of gambling–is not going to fade away.”
FOBTs have been called the “crack cocaine” of gambling, allow bettors to wager up to $132 every 20 seconds. However, Harrison noted Prime Minister Theresa May has convened a new All Party Parliamentary Group to study the impact of fixed-odds betting terminals. Among other reforms at High Street betting shops, the maximum stake could drop to as little as $2.50 if the study indicates the machines causing harm.
In addition, the new National Responsible Gambling Strategy recently was launched, which, Harrison said, will set the agenda for addressing problem gambling-related issues.
In conclusion, Harrison stated the gambling sector must follow the lead of others to fight cyber threats and crime, and data and system security, which “is characterized by professional collaboration and intelligence sharing across business, markets and borders.”
