Summary:
- UKGC head Andrew Rhodes spoke at the recent GambleAware Conference
- Rhodes said he was happy with the progress of the UKGC in enforcing compliance
- Gambling Survey for Great Britain continues to provide key data for UKGC
UKGC head Andrew Rhodes who took up the role in June 2021 recently spoke at the GambleAware Conference and shared his thoughts on the future of the gambling industry in the UK and the performance of the gambling regulator under his leadership.
UKGC Getting Better Response From Operators
In the past, the UK gambling regulator has received a lot of criticism from anti-gambling groups for not doing enough to protect the British public from gambling harm. The UKGC received flak for being too lenient on licensed gambling operators who breached regulations and for not being stringent with its regulations.
Rhodes said that things have changed significantly recently as the gambling industry has taken a big step forward in complying with gaming regulations and ensuring compliance. He said the UKGC noted a reduction in unacceptable and extreme cases of non-compliance based on their data.
Rhodes said that given the noticeable change from licensed gambling operators, the UKGC has also taken a step forward and moved from discussing basic compliance issues to focusing on more advanced compliance initiatives. The UKGC will continue with its uncompromising and stringent approach to enforcement and compliance.
Rhodes also took time to praise GambleAware for its efforts to help the regulator move forward with the recommendations mentioned in the White Paper and do their part to promote responsible gambling and help turn the UK into potentially the safest gambling market around the world.
Gambling Survey for Great Britain – Key Data
One of the key areas that the UKGC is focusing on and will continue to focus in 2024 is the collection of key data and stats from gambling related stakeholders. The Gambling Survey for Great Britain which is in effect for the last 3 years helps to generate key data that the UKGC then uses to study the gambling market and make key decisions.
Rhodes said that they are looking to scale the Gambling Survey for Great Britain and bring it up to 20,000 individuals surveyed, making it the biggest gambling survey in the world when it reaches that capacity. He said the detail survey reports help the UKGC to study gambling behaviours, provide gambling addiction related help and offer a current status of the UK gambling market.
