BETTER CHANGE
Europe unites for Safer Gambling Week 2024
The negative perception of our industry affects us in many ways. Better Change’s engagement director, Rob Mabbett gambling focus.
O
urs is an amazing industry, full of talent, innovation and opportunity. It is also, at times, a very frustrating industry!
Politics, lobbying, red tape and regulatory to-ing and fro-ing can often get in the way of progress, especially when it comes to protecting players where too often anti-gambling rhetoric or well-intended but misguided policy changes forget about the people they are there to protect, instead focussing on their own political agendas. I have certainly been guilty of airing my getting bogged down with being a victim of of getting on the front foot and demonstrating its positive contribution.
The reputation of the gambling industry has never been overly favourable, but despite the fact that the days of irresponsible VIP schemes and aggressive marketing tactics tell us to BET NOW! are behind us, we still
18 DECEMBER 2024
continue to be viewed poorly in the public eye. This matters greatly as the negative perception of our industry affects us in many ways. Gambling as a career is certainly not something I thought of at school and I can imagine that is the same for all of you as well, but despite falling into this industry by accident it is somewhere I am very proud to work and hope to continue doing so for the foreseeable. Attracting the best talent is crucial to our industries evolution but until we put forward a compelling case for a career in gambling, the best and brightest of future generations may evade us. Then there are regulatory changes. Gambling needs to be well regulated there is no disputing that but regulation has to be evidence based and proportionate, but how can that happen when the rhetoric against our industry is so disproportionate? I have spoke often about how some of the blanket restrictions on gambling seem more focussed on political appeasement rather than being a targeted harm prevention
will continue to be the trend.
opinion. We can’t be the game changer here,” (Maartin Haijer, EGBA)
Ahead of safer gambling week I debated this topic at an RG Symposium in Malta, amongst my panel where Secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association, Maarten Haijer who whilst stating that changing public opinion is not the role of the EGBA, they do work closely with regulators to improve the industry’s image amongst policy makers. Also on the panel was KPMG director and gaming lead, Russell Mifsud who responded to Maarten’s points by saying the narrative” citing the growth of the illegal market and the increasing squeeze on operators the opportunity for the industry lies in ESG and that “By setting clear, measurable goals and
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