online gambling. In September the head of GVC Kenneth Alexander was branded “cowardly” for not appearing before the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) which had spent months studying problem gambling and includes Conservatives such as former leader Iain Duncan Smith. Te APPG then managed to wipe off £1bn from the share value of UK gambling firms by recommending limits to online slot games of £2 per spin and a total ban on the use of credit cards to gamble online.
In addition, politicians continue to single out the industry for often unfair criticism despite the industry’s best efforts. Te Liberal Democrats and the Labour party are both seeking to establish further restrictions particularly over the online sector and a number of politicians continue to lead the charge knowing that it will help them in the polls. Te Labour Party has revealed plans to introduce a new gambling act to replace the current 2005 Gambling Act. Gambling would be treated as a national public health issue, gambling advertisements in sports would be reduced, and further limits on gambling would be imposed. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats announced they would ban the use of credit cards for gambling while Layla Moran, the Lib Dems’ spokesperson on culture has been particularly scathing arguing that the conservative government “had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support the Lib Dem-led initiative to reduce the maximum stake for FOBTs and have no interest in protecting the vulnerable any further. Problem gambling often has a pernicious and incredibly sad impact on the lives of thousands of people up and down our country.”
Te negative stories continue in the mainstream press. Now that the FOBT limit has been set tabloids and broadsheets alike accuse high street bookmakers of engineering markets in their favour and denying punters fair odds.
Tis is despite the fact that betting firms are making a sustained effort to ensure sustainability. Tis includes the groundbreaking Anonymous Player Awareness System (APAS) a real-time algorithm for gaming machines which identifies areas of player behaviour that could indicate harmful play. Te new APAS system will form part of the delivery of the ‘protecting and empowering customers’ work in the Safer Gambling Commitments announced by the Betting and Gaming Council in November. Te Safer Gambling Commitments will deliver long-term and fundamental changes in how gambling companies are run in the UK and how they protect their customers.
Support for the Safer Gambling Commitments, comes as a new representative body for the UK’s betting and gaming industry formally launches, which will champion and drive forward these commitments.
Te Betting and Gaming Council represents betting shops, online gaming businesses and casinos, and has been established in response to calls for the industry to work together to guarantee an enjoyable, fair and safe betting and gaming experience.
Brigid Simmonds OBE, Chairman of the Betting and Gaming Council, says that new player protection measures will play a key role going forwards.
“Te stake reduction on gaming machines has had a seismic impact on the country’s high street betting shops which in many places are very important community hubs,” she says. “Over 1,100 shops have closed since the stake cut was introduced. We are pleased that despite the turmoil on the high street, betting shops have continued to work on new safer gambling measures, introducing new technology on gaming machines in shops that tracks play for signs of harm and will force a cool-off period for customers when triggered.
“The stake reduction on gaming machines has had a seismic impact on the country’s high street betting shops which in many places are very important community hubs,. Over 1,100 shops have closed since the stake cut was introduced. We are pleased that despite the turmoil on the high street, betting shops have continued to work on new safer gambling measures, introducing new technology on gaming machines in shops that tracks play for signs of harm and will force a cool-off period for customers when triggered.”
Brigid Simmonds OBE, Chairman of the Betting and Gaming Council
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P59
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