If it didn’t have serious consequences for UK gambling, it would be funny just how much the UK government wants to mess around with its gambling regulations.
I mean, we get it. Compared to gambling regulation anywhere in the world, the UK has always been universally regarded as the strictest. However, while that used to be something UK gamblers could be proud of, as it showed the government cared about their protection, it’s going way too far now.
First of all, we’ve had a month filled with talks of increasing gambling tax hikes purely to help plug a £22bn gap in public finances that could not only push more UK gamblers into the black market but also put Britain’s celebrated horse racing industry on its knees.
Then, we’ve had more promising changes, such as more transparency from the UKGC, a new 10x cap on bonus wagering requirements and a statutory £100m levy on gambling companies to go towards funding treatment of gambling harm. All of that followed the implementation of maximum bet limits on slot machines of £5 per spin for those aged over 25 and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, which will no doubt alienate gamblers further and push them towards unregulated offshore gambling sites.
Now, just when you think everything has settled down, the government has come back for more. Lawmakers have gone and reopened an inquiry into the UK’s gambling laws following accusations of poor enforcement and licensing failures of the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Gambling Harm.
At this point, it’s time to hit pause. The UK gambling industry needs breathing room, not more red tape.
Labour can’t lose any more votes for the next election than they already have. Now it seems they’re determined to lose more votes from an entire gambling community.
APPG Inquiry Reignites Tensions
When does it become messing just for the sake of messing? The reopening of this enquiry has done nothing more than reignite tensions in a gambling industry that already feels like it is being harshly treated.
Opened by former Tory Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the APPG inquiry will once again look at gambling regulation in the UK. He feels there is soft enforcement by the UKGC, an over-saturation of gambling advertisements and a lack of consumer protection for online gamblers. However, this isn’t just about Conservative voices, as the APPG now includes several Labour MPs. Collectively calling for a complete reform of the UK’s gambling regulations are the likes of Alex Ballinger, Beccy Cooper, Sarah Coombes, and Andrew Pakes.
Ballinger: “This Is a Public Health Crisis”
One of the loudest voices calling for systematic change to gambling regulation is the MP for Halesowen, Alex Ballinger. A former Royal Marine, the MP believes the £100 million statutory levy on gambling firms is not enough to combat the mental health crises, suicides, debt spirals and criminal outcomes tied to gambling harm. He’s particularly concerned about gambling’s effect on the military, citing addiction rates among veterans as 10 times higher than the civilian population. He believes that being young, having more disposable income, more spare time between activities and not knowing what to do with both leads to more service men and women developing gambling problems.
“This is no longer a leisure industry,” Ballinger said. “It’s a public health emergency.”
He is calling for:
- A new Gambling Act to replace the outdated 2005 legislation
- Stronger restrictions on online slots and casino advertising
- Higher taxes on remote gambling operators
- A public health-led approach, which could potentially move gambling regulation out of the DCMS and into the Department of Health
Under the Cosh – the Gambling Industry Pushes Back
Understandably, the gambling industry has had enough now, and it’s difficult not to agree with its concerns. With 2023 reforms still being implemented, this latest round of inquiries and calls for more reforms is starting to feel like they’re being punished twice. Operators are already trying to absorb the earlier reforms on top of the recent implementation of affordability checks, the statutory levy and slot machine stake caps, but are now the brunt of further attacks.
Their argument is that
- The 2023 White Paper reforms are still being implemented
- Action is being taken to curtail gambling advertising
- Problem gambling rates are stable or falling rather than increasing
- The industry contributes billions in taxes and employment
The fear is that further regulation, including the proposed 42% in Remote Gaming Duty to 42% will lead to further damage to the regulated market and increase the number of players choosing black market platforms over overregulated alternatives in the UK.
Enough is Enough
Rather than remedying anything, most of the constant meddling in the UK gambling industry is causing nothing but confusion and frustration. Can we not just let the 2023 reforms take hold and let the industry breathe for a little while? Let’s see how it all pans out before revisiting if necessary. If it’s getting tiring for the likes of us at Casinobonusplus to report on the continued and unnecessary mess constantly created by the UK government, imagine what it is like for players or operators. Both are likely to just call it a day and jump ship. Players are likely to increasingly turn to what they perceive as stress-free gaming in the black market, while operators will just give up on the UK gambling markets altogether.
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