Industry Reaction to the Release of the White Paper on Gambling Reform
After the long-awaited White Paper on gambling reform in the UK has now been released, gambling companies within the industry are responding to the new proposals listed in the amendments.
During the House of Commons session, Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, stated, “Gambling has been a beloved pastime deeply ingrained in British culture for centuries. However, the emergence of smartphones has revolutionized the gambling experience. In 2023, it bears little resemblance to what it was when the Gambling Act was implemented in 2005.”
Impact on the Gambling Industry
The White Paper discusses the transformative impact of the online iGaming market on the gambling industry, highlighting the inadequacy of the original Act in addressing the fast-evolving digital era. One of the proposals is to cap how much younger players can wager per spin on online slot games.
Jamie Walters, the CEO of QiH Group, commented, “We support the efforts to provide increased protection for those under 25 by establishing stake and deposit limits. Our digital and data-driven marketing strategy has allowed us to exclude this demographic from our operations for several years.”
Walters added, “We appreciate the government’s decision to maintain the current white-label arrangements, which benefits those of us who operate fully compliant white-label platforms.”
Another notable aspect of the White Paper is the prohibition of gambling companies’ logos appearing on the front of shirts. MP Iain Duncan Smith said, “I think this is a good starting point. I believe the majority of the recommendations from the all-party group are included, which is commendable. However, when it comes to advertising and children, there is still more to be done.”
Betting and Gaming Council’s Responds
Michael Dugher, the CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, remarked, “We are pleased that the government has dismissed the suggestions put forth by anti-gambling advocates for sweeping, low-level, and intrusive affordability checks. Furthermore, we welcome the rejection of blanket bans on advertising, sports sponsorship, and consumer promotions, as these measures would negatively impact beloved sports like horseracing and football, threaten jobs, and drive customers to the increasingly dangerous and unregulated online gambling black market.”
He added, “These proposed actions will result in substantial change but, hopefully, they will bring much-needed regulatory stability, allowing our members to concentrate solely on serving their customers.”
