UKGC Comments on Progress of Delivery of National Responsible Gambling Strategy
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published an executive response from Executive Director Tim Miller to the progress report released by the Responsible Gaming Strategy Board (RGSB).
The statements from Miller confirms the board’s findings, that while progress has been made in the delivery of the National Responsible Gaming Strategy, there are still priorities that have not seen the level of action necessary to fulfil the three-year plan.
Concerned
The response from Miller states:
“RGSB’s progress report reaffirms our view that there is still considerable work to be done to protect consumers from gambling related harm.
“We can see there has been progress towards delivering the National Responsible Gambling Strategy by the industry and others. But we are now in the final 12 months of the three year plan, and we remain concerned that many of the priority actions have not moved along as far as they should have.”
Concerted focus
Accepting that the UKGC has a huge responsibility, Tim Miller also called on others to help with the strategy, which has 12-months left of its three years, saying:
“Many of the RGSB’s recommendations require us, as the industry regulator, to lead on delivery, and we will do more to speed up progress.
“However, with over two million people that are at-risk or classed as problem gamblers in Great Britain, and many more either at risk of harm or affected by somebody else’s gambling, there needs to be a real concerted focus by everyone that has a part to play.”
Calling for the industry to raise its standards, something that carries weight after the recent £600,000 fine for LeoVegas, the UKGC made it clear that everybody needs to work harder if the Strategy is to be progress sufficiently within its timescale.