BGC: GRG APPG approach will only serve the black market 

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has issued an immediate response to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Related Harm’s (GRH APPG) radical demand for an overhaul of UK gambling laws.

 Yesterday, the cross-party group published ‘30 evidence-based recommendations’, calling for the government to overhaul Gambling Act laws, as well as a restructuring of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

Publishing independent research undertaken by Survation, the GRH APPG stated that an overwhelming majority of the UK public supports tighter industry regulation with regards to advertising and enforcing player limits (deposit/wagering).

 The GRH APPG further underscored that radical changes needed to be enforced, as the general public no longer held trust in the UK gambling sector. 

Responding to the GRH APPG, the BGC said that UK gambling has meaningfully progressed on its social responsibility mandate and customer care demands, with impactful changes undertaken over the course of the year. 

It said: “Since the BGC was formed as the standards body last year, we have driven a number of significant changes across the industry – from advertising restrictions, encouraging deposit limits, monitoring play and spend so we can intervene to prevent customers getting into difficulties, closing online accounts, introducing strict new ID and age verifications, implementing the ban on credit cards and massively increasing funding for research, education and treatment.”

The BGC also highlighted its collaborative approach of working with the government and wider social stakeholders to safeguard and improve industry standards.

“We are committed to making even more changes and to driving up safer gambling standards further, and we look forward to working with the Government on their forthcoming Review,” continued the BGC response.

Representing UK gambling, the BGC acknowledged that there will always be “prohibitionists who are not interested in the fact the regulated industry supports over 100,000 jobs and pays over £3 billion in tax”. 

Echoing new industry concerns, the BGC stated that MPs must avoid measures that will drive a highly regulated marketplace towards “unregulated, offshore, black market, illegal operators that don’t conform to any standards or safeguards to protect problem gamblers and the most vulnerable”.