An investigation by Guardian reporter Rob Davies has uncovered the findings of a report drafted by the the All-party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in which the group criticizes the UK gambling commission for taking measures to try to reduce addiction.
The APPG launched an investigation into the UK regulator last year following reports of alleged corruption at the gambling commission. The group which has described itself as a political go-between for the gambling industry, has refused to release the full details of this report.
However, the Guardian obtained a draft excerpt of the report revealing that the MPs have declared that the UKGC is in ‘urgent need of change’. It then goes on to state that the commission is too harsh on operators and risks the ‘destruction of one of the world’s best gambling industries’ which could push gamblers towards underground bookmakers.
MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling- Conservative MP Scott Benton — £7,494.60 in Euro 2020 and Ascot tickets from Entain, Gamesys, and Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling
- Conservative MP Aaron Bell — £6,955.60 in Euro 2020 tickets from Entain, Flutter, and Gamesys.
All of the above MPs have lobbied for the gambling industry and its operators in parliament or in the media while accepting gifts. And according to parliamentary rules, this is permitted. Bell even went so far as to state to the Guardian that he had “declared all hospitality promptly and transparently”.
Despite being named in the Guardian’s report, the BGC has reiterated that it supports the UKGC and stated that it had nothing to do with the report. Last night it tweeted:
MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem GamblingFollowing the Guardian’s investigation, the APPG’s vice chair, Labour MP Conor McGinn revealed that he had resigned from the group last week as he had no wish to be associated with it. He stated that he had no part in writing the report and disagreed with its findings.
A spokesperson for the Gambling Commission told the Guardian:
MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling“Some sections of the industry are never going to be content with a regulator which continually pushes for safer gambling.” They said the commission would “need time to review [the report’s] contents” and that it had not heard from the APPG before receiving it.
MPs Mind-Bogglingly Critical of UKGC for Trying to Reduce Problem Gambling
Speaking to the Guardian, Matt Zarb-Cousin, the director of the campaign group Clean Up Gambling, said:
“It is astonishing that in the middle of a gambling review, industry-friendly MPs want to publish this ludicrous report complaining about regulation.
The growth of online gambling, and the harm associated with it, has increased exponentially under the Gambling Commission’s watch. If anything the operators should be thanking the regulator. What we need is an overhaul of regulation that empowers the Gambling Commission to ensure far more prescriptive rules, more comprehensive oversight of licensees and penalties for non-compliance.”
UPDATE: Aaron Bell has contacted the Guardian to distance himself from the report stating that he had no idea what the results of the report would be nor did he play any role in drafting it.
John Spellar has also just resigned from his position as Chairman of the APPG with immediate effect.
Guardian reporter Rob Davies recently released his book Jackpot exposing the dark underbelly of the UK gambling industry.
Jackpot is available from The Guardian Bookshop.
