INSIGHT - PERCEPTION & PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image
What can the industry do to improve its reputation?
The UK gambling industry continues to suffer a bad press despite the steps it has taken to limit gambling addiction and try and protect the safety of its players. While the industry has made meaningful and robust changes to the way it addresses problem gambling, these changes arguably have not received as much coverage as they deserve.
Predictably the number of negative stories continues to rise with the mainstream media painting a picture of an industry willing to prey on the vulnerable, especially during lockdowns. Tis has been compounded further by reports of threats to sports integrity as corrupters sought to manipulate the results of lower tier games and less popular sports as almost all the major events were either cancelled or postponed during 2020.
In the UK, the public’s perception of gambling and how the industry confronts the issues of problem gambling is now more important than ever as ministers conduct a Gambling Review. Ministers have launched a wide- ranging review into gambling laws, which is set to lead to the biggest shake-up in the legislation governing the UK industry in 15 years. Ministers are expected to produce a White Paper at the end of this year. Te consultation period is over so stakeholders
P44 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
will need to challenge often wildly inaccurate claims in the mainstream media and back it up with evidence-based research. A fairer debate will help ensure a better product for consumers, protect players and prevent government overreach.
Stories of an alarming rise in gambling addiction were rife during lockdowns. In April 2020, Swansea East MP, Carolyn Harris, a longstanding anti-gambling campaigner, told the BBC: “Under normal circumstances I have huge worries about the ability of this industry to captivate, and hold hostage almost, people that it ensnares in its trap. And it's just going to get worse... In many cases they will lose everything they own, and in some really tragic cases they will lose their lives.”
Te BBC ran a number of similar stories arguing that lockdown had made problem gambling addiction worse leading to a spiral
of debt and gambling fuelled despair. As sports betting was limited, gamblers had turned to online casinos which the BBC argued were far more addictive. Tis argument was mirrored in Te Guardian along with other news outlets.
Te Sun newspaper reported that lockdown had created a “perfect storm” of misery fuelled by alcohol and gambling. Te Mirror reported a case of a NHS worker who lost £20,000 in one night after becoming addicted to online gambling in lockdown. Te Independent claimed that gambling firms were profiting from the pandemic and letting the NHS pick up the pieces. Te Daily Mail accused bookmakers of 'cashing in on coronavirus.'
Amidst this coverage there was hardly a mention of the many steps the industry has taken to mitigate the impact of the negative affects of player behaviours during lockdowns. In March, Te Betting and Gaming Council
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128
