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Report Shows 80% of UK Gamblers Oppose Affordability Check
By Shane Addinall Jan 30, 2022 IndustryThe UK’s Gambling Act is under review and changes are coming soon. With anti-gambling campaigners demanding affordability checks, BGC revealed a survey that indicates many Brits will turn to illegal gambling if that happens.While British punters hold their breath for the UK Government to publish their reviewed white paper on gambling law, they took a poll on YouGov, and the results are concerning. Less than half of the participants would allow operators to do affordability checks before they may wager.
Industry stakeholders believe the poll indicates a definite win for the black-market operators if the government legalises blanket affordability checks. The poll uncovered that less than 1 in 5 punters were open to bank account and salary checks as called for by anti-gambling campaigners.
The Betting and Gaming Council warns that the government needs to listen to public opinion as they approach the release of their reviewed gambling act.
Brits Say No
Commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), YouGov’s survey asked Brits how they feel about blanket checks called for by campaigners. Results show that less than 16% of British bettors would grant access to providers of their personal details for the suggested affordability checks.
The poll brought to light that more than half of the UK’s punters are against the affordability checks and approximately 59% of British gamblers believe if government-imposed financial probing, it would lead to significant black-market gambling. Half of the respondents believe the shift will cause a rise in high-risk gambling behaviour and less than 4% think it could counter risky gambling behaviour.
Britain’s government is reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act and although their industry standards body, BGC, agrees with the necessity of it, they warn that these poll results are a wake-up call for legislators. CEO Michael Dugher said:
“We strongly support the Gambling Review as a once in a generation opportunity to raise standards and promote safer gambling. Ministers have said it will be an evidence-led process, and these findings are a wake-up call showing the potential dangers of introducing blanket affordability checks on anyone who likes a flutter.”
BGC is in favour of improved affordability checks, but they think these should be done objectively based on risk profiles.
BGC Appeals for Special Consideration
With nearly 60% of punters showing that blanket financial checks would lead to a massive number of gamblers turning to unregulated, black-market platforms, the British gaming industry finds itself at a fork in the road. The UK Gambling Commission is a revered regulator in the global industry and their gambling act has set the bar high for regulated igaming.
Regulation already requires operators to provide safer gambling tools, plus they step in when a patron displays signs of at-risk gambling. The thousands of illegal casino and gambling platforms do not play by these rules, and punters are vulnerable to scams and dodgy practices when they wager with them. PwC accounting firm released a report in 2021 which revealed that 460,000 Brits use illegal gambling sites, and they estimate that billions of pounds flow into the black market. Dugher commented:
“Any changes introduced by the Government must be balanced so that they rightly protect the vulnerable while not driving the vast majority who bet safely and responsible towards the unsafe black market online, where there are none of the safer gambling measures which are used by BGC members.”
BGC urged the government to focus on known problem gamblers and those with at-risk profiles to minimise the potential harm.
Aim for Zero
Statistics provided by the gambling commission show that problem gambling decreased from 0.6% to 0.3% in the past year, but Dugher agrees that one problem gambler is too many. The UK Government will release the white paper on their reviewed gambling act in spring 2022.
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