The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has completed the first Training Day for the Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group (GAMLG), in a bid to drive high standards and encourage best practice. Topics of discussion during the day-long session was consideration of key emerging risks, best practice and developments, which the standards body stated was a reflection of ‘the diversity of compliance …
Read More »Tag Archives: Association of British Bookmakers (ABB)
ABB anticipates further shop closures during 2019
The impact of stake reductions on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) is continuing to have a ‘profound impact’ upon UK bookmakers as the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) anticipates further shop closures by the end of the year. The statement comes after retailers and unions have urged the government to take action over the rate of shop closures on UK …
Read More »William Hill confirms 700 shops to close following FOBT losses
UK bookmaker William Hill has confirmed that it will be closing approximately 700 betting shops, impacting 4,500 members of staff, following the introduction of the controversial FOBT legislation on 1 April. As detailed in a media statement, William Hill had entered into a consultation process with its retail colleagues. The statement explained: “This follows the Government’s decision to reduce the …
Read More »Bookmakers test the waters with new FOBT stake trial
Ahead of the implementation of the £2 maximum stakes for Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, UK bookmakers have opted to trial the new stake limit to assess the impact it will have on the industry. Betting shops in Birmingham are testing out the new stake limit ahead of the legislative change on 1 April, following the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) …
Read More »Ladbrokes Dunoon wins Community Betting Shop award
Betting shop staff in Dunoon have won national recognition for their fundraising and volunteering work in the local community. The Ladbrokes shop in the town’s Moir Street beat entrants from across Scotland to win the ‘Community Betting Shop of the Year Award’ for 2018. And for shop manager Lucy Richmond, who has worked in the shop since she was 18 …
Read More »Greyhound Board appoints former RSPCA Chief Exec as Chairman
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has announced the appointment of Jeremy Cooper as its new Chairman. Cooper’s last position was as Chief Executive of the RSPCA, where he devised and implemented a five-year strategic plan. Prior to that, he was responsible for overhauling the RSPCA Freedom Food brand and relaunching it as RSPCA Assured, while turning it into …
Read More »Ladbrokes chief warns of £2 FOBT ramifications
Ladbrokes Coral Chief Executive Jim Mullen has emphasised that cutting the stakes of fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will not only have negative economic implications, but will also “fail to adequately address any issue of problem gambling”. Mullen was responding to a report in the Sunday Times, which claimed newly appointed culture secretary Matt Hancock is in favour of delivering a …
Read More »Malcolm George ABB – Industry must fight for fair narrative on problem gambling
Malcolm George the Chief Executive of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB), has stated that the industry trade body is committed to cleaning up gambling’s image but warns that the ‘frenzied debate’ on problem gambling does not help any stakeholders. Speaking to PR-Week, George details that the UK betting industry has suffered ‘from a lack of quality debate’ and ‘media …
Read More »Industry awaits ‘game changing’ DCMS industry FOBTs report
UK industry stakeholders are bracing themselves for this April’s industry review of fixed-odds-betting-terminals (FOBTs) and advertising standards by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The DCMS industry publication could become an industry ‘game changer’ should the government move to reduce maximum stakes on FOBTs from £100 to a £2 limit, triggering the industry’s worst scenario. Focusing on improving …
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