The Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed a pledge made in the Labour Party’s manifesto, claiming it’s ready to collaborate with the next government on the issue of responsible gaming, regardless of “what happens at the polls”. Within this document, Labour highlighted its commitment to reduce and prevent problem gambling, while continuing to work together with the industry to make sure that all is up to standards with regards to responsible betting and gaming. BGC CEO and Acting Chair Michael Dugher explained how he appreciates Labour’s general election manifesto and its commitment to further collaboration with the betting and gaming industry on behalf of the organisation’s members, the 110,000 employees dependent on this regulated sector, and the 22.5 million individuals, including users of NoDepositTracker, who enjoy betting each month. He continued by stating that BGC members are experiencing significant regulatory changes following the White Paper, supported by Labour, and this work will continue post-election.
Committed to Carrying On
Current polls show a strong lead for Labour, which could potentially replace the Conservatives in power, relinquishing their chance to execute the UK’s Gambling Act Review white paper they so actively worked toward from inception. Ahead of the 4th of July elections, Labour’s manifesto pledges to “commit to reduce gambling harm”. It also went on to mention that this is an issue that has spanned across decades, and Labour is committed to “reform gambling regulation and strengthen its protection”. In his speech during the BGC’s AGM last February, Dugher also noted how the white paper has impacted BGC members, by explaining that they are currently navigating across the largest set of regulatory changes of our generation, and this work will now also be supported by Labour. In another point, Dugher expressed his gratitude to the industry who has also fiercely collaborated “to continue to drive world-class protection and standards for those who are at higher risk, transforming the sector over the years”. It was also mentioned that the BGC had a longstanding and ongoing relationship with Labour, with several shadow ministers collaborating on various issues within this regulated industry over the last couple of years, and how important it was that the Council would be able to continue its “work to drive up standards”, while “looking forward to collaborating with the next government in this exceptionally important work”.
A Need for Legislation
Important to keep in mind here that a change of government would also imply that several measures, particularly those still missing primary legislation, would need to be shelved for the time being. These include the scheduled reforms concerned with brick-and-mortar establishments, that would relax casino rules to allow casinos to increase the number of gambling machines from 20 to 80 for example. The new government would directly oversee any ongoing work with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, however, it is unlikely to be its first priority when they come to office. Nevertheless, this pledge for continuity with regard to the white paper is definitely an important step in the right direction.
