Betting and gaming APPG launches stakeholder-led review of 2005 UK Gambling Act
Cross-party parliamentary group schedules four virtual meetings to discuss future of gambling in the UK
The All-Party Parliamentary Betting and Gaming Group (APPG) has launched a stakeholder-led review of the 2005 UK Gambling Act ahead of the UK government’s own investigation.
As part of the process, the APPG has revamped its website to include a 67-question survey for industry stakeholders, including questions on the need for a public health approach to gambling regulation.
It asks for feedback on whether the current 2005 act is fit for purpose, what needs to be added or removed and whether there is an ‘easy fix’ in addressing the issues currently faced by the betting and gaming sector in the UK.
“Online gambling appears to be the current ‘bête noire’ [pet hate] of the regulator, the newspapers and many campaigners, and we want to know why and whether this is fair,” the APPG survey explains.
The survey probes whether the online industry is unjustly targeted by the media, whether limits to online stakes should be introduced and the importance of affordability checks.
It has also asked whether increased regulation of the online sector ultimately fuels the UK black market for online gambling sites.
Feedback is also requested on whether too much gambling advertising takes place in the UK, what levels are acceptable and whether there is any evidence of a link between advertising and UK problem gambling rates.
Questions also cover the so-called ‘gamblification’ of football via sports betting sponsorship deals, the benefits and drawbacks of these deals and the recent furore surrounding streaming of matches by betting companies.
The survey will also question the potential regulation of affiliates, the legitimacy of VIP programmes and whether a full UK advertising ban on gambling is needed.
It asks for stakeholder feedback on whether the Gambling Commission is doing a good job in regulating the UK market and whether there are any gaps in its regulatory mandate.
Responding to a National Audit Office report into the UKGC’s activities, the survey will ask whether the regulator is underfunded and if operators should be incentivised to raise standards in the industry. It also considers whether a gambling ombudsman is needed.
In concert with the survey, the APPG has confirmed it will hold four virtual meetings in the coming months, giving stakeholders the ability to participate in panel sessions discussing the issues provided by the feedback.