BGC: No “explosion” in online gambling during Covid-19
Trade body refutes cross-party APPG’s claim that online harm is on the rise
The Betting and Gaming Council has defended its safer gambling programmes during the coronavirus pandemic following criticism from the Gambling-Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
In a letter sent to BGC chair Brigid Simmonds on Thursday, APPG chair Carolyn Harris called on the trade body to commit to removing all advertising throughout the coronavirus lockdown.
“At this time, it is incumbent on us all to do everything we can to support people’s safety and wellbeing, to support our society, protect the vulnerable and to put public interest ahead of gambling industry profits,” Harris said in the letter.
Although the APPG welcomed the BGC’s decision to suspend all TV and radio ads for the next six weeks, it questioned the timing and methodology of the BGC’s actions.
In the letter Harris also took aim at BGC CEO Michael Dugher, saying he was “extremely dismissive” of APPG proposals to protect vulnerable gamblers published in a prior letter on 3 April.
Anti-gambling hardliners can't self-isolate themselves from the facts: See article today in the @RacingPost by our CEO @MichaelDugher https://t.co/aRPIETvIXh
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) April 10, 2020
However, the BGC questioned comments made by the cross-party group, saying there was no evidence for claims of an increase in online gambling during the lockdown.
“There has not been the explosion in online gambling that anti-gambling prohibitionists warned, but from day one of this Covid-19 crisis BGC members have stepped up safer gambling messages and interventions to protect people across all platforms – including online,” said the BGC.
“Customers must opt-in to receive any direct marketing at all, we encourage them to set deposit limits, we regularly restrict or close accounts where people are at risk and promote self-exclusion through GAMSTOP,” the BGC added.
BGC member firms have agreed to cease above-the-line marketing for a six-week period beginning 7 May. As part of this, existing TV and radio advertising slots will either be replaced by safer gambling messaging, donated to charities or removed from TV broadcasts.
The APPG has called on the industry to go further to “truly protect vulnerable people at this time”, outlining five measures to limit gambling-related harm during the lockdown.
These include ending all gambling advertising and sign-up offers for bonuses by operators as well as ending all VIP programmes. The APPG has called on BGC members to commit to implementing deposit limits for the duration of the crisis, with a £2 stake limit for online slots.
The APPG has also asked for online gambling and VIP gambling figures from the past three months, as well as the same figures from 2019 for comparison purposes.