Despite the fact that gambling is a legal activity in the UK, there has been a steady push for stricter regulations. Gambling involves wagering something of value on a random event. It’s also considered to be a risky activity. It can lead to financial ruin and can cause family breakdown.
Gambling has been regulated in the UK since 2005. However, the industry has been growing at a fast pace. During that time, the UK has become one of the world’s largest regulated betting markets. Currently, British punters have lost over PS14 billion on gambling. According to research, there are roughly 138,000 problem gamblers in the country. Gambling also causes 400 suicides each year. In fact, about 5% of UK customers have lost more than PS100,000 in gambling-related losses.
A recent report by SkyQuest reveals that the number of people wagering on online gambling sites in the UK increased by 32% in the last two years. The UK has been one of the leading countries in regulating online gambling. The UK Gambling Commission ensures that operators treat their customers fairly. It also uses quarterly telephone surveys to monitor consumer behaviour. In January 2019, the UK government announced a review of gambling legislation.
The UK gambling industry has been lobbying heavily for more regulation. There have been 35 meetings between industry representatives and government officials over the last 12 months. In that same period, the government has delayed publishing a review four times.
Philip Davies, a Conservative Party lawmaker, is one of the biggest critics of the gambling industry. He was the son of a bookmaker. He has been one of the most vocal campaigners for tighter regulation.
He has complained to various regulators and executives, and has a history of meeting with the CEOs of one of the biggest progressive gambling companies. He has also spent years attempting to gain the favour of government ministers. He has also accepted free tickets to top-flight sporting events.
The gambling industry has also cultivated a number of politicians in the UK. It has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds cultivating lawmakers. Many of the lawmakers who have spoken out against increasing regulation have also accepted lucrative speaking gigs and free tickets to top-flight sporting events.
A former deputy leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, has also campaigned for more gambling regulation. He has also worked with Flutter on safer gambling policies. He has stated that he believes Flutter sets the standard for this area.
One of the most prominent lobbyists in the UK gambling industry is Stewart Kenny. He has helped run the Stop Gambling Harm pressure group. The group aims to change the laws to better protect the public from gambling addiction. He has also worked with former Paddy Power chairman Fintan Drury to establish a gambling reform organization.
The Gambling Commission has also responded to pressure from the public. In 2021, it banned credit card gambling and lowered spin speeds on online slots. It also introduced measures to protect customers, such as a digital audit trail for customers. The Commission also sought a unified system to monitor customer activity across the industry. This system would also alert operators of potentially problematic behavior.
