The UK government’s call for evidence to review the state of the gambling industry presents an opportunity for the sector to show the positive social responsibilities it has taken.
The call for evidence review, with particular reference to fixed odds betting terminals, offers a golden opportunity to “present a robust and empirically-based case,” said Peter Hannibal, CEO of the Gambling Business Group, that has members who collectively represent about 70 per cent of the gross gaming yield in the industry.
Hannibal said that the three-yearly review of stakes and prizes in machines, the so-called Triennial Review, “is ridiculously overdue and there can be no doubt its absence has badly damaged the health of the industry.
He said: “I believe this (the call for evidence) is an opportunity to draw together all of the positive social responsibility initiatives that have been undertaken by the industry. It is fair to say that the overwhelming majority of organisations involved in the gambling industry deliver their responsibilities with energy and commitment and view them as a fundamental and non-negotiable part of what they do as a business. Our task is to demonstrate this commitment using the evidence which exists to support it.”
The call for evidence had come from a statement by minister Tracey Crouch. Hannibal said that the tone of her remarks “referenced the importance of achieving a balance between consumer protection and creating a sector that can also grow. She confirmed the government supports a healthy gambling industry that generates both investment and employment.”
Hannibal said that is an important change in the narrative that “we have all been working hard to achieve.”
He said: “Gambling should not be perceived as being a pariah industry but part of the broad entertainment and leisure sector that contributes significantly to the national economy.
“This Triennial is about far more than stakes and prizes and the Gambling Business Group will be working to support the activities of the various trade associations in any way that we can. It is essential that we present the best possible case for a progressive, responsible and business friendly transformation of the gambling industry.”
