Plans to Destroy Another Billion GBP UK Industry with Brick Wall Rules – UKGC Not to Blame!

Is the UKGC at Fault? Not entirely. Blase UK government bigwigs put up brick walls with more bad ideas to crush another billion GBP industry! (Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash)

When it comes to the madness of UK gambling laws, the villain in the story is always the UKGC. Yet, although a non-profit organisation, much of the changes made are due to blasé comments from government officials looking for a popularity vote.

The UKGC just has to act on their public demands, until, in the end, the UK gambling sector will become yet another billion-dollar industry ruined by ministers trying to look busy.

Obviously being an advocate of online gambling in the UK, there is always some bias favouring the gambling sector from the team here at Casino Bonus Plus.

However, in some debates where there is obvious favouritism, it can be tough to use someone’s prejudice against them when what’s happening defeats all common sense. And in my case, I go as far as sticking up for the very regulatory authority that is tasked (tasked being the operative word here) with acting on relentless government pressure.

Case and point, now the UKGC is putting in place ‘affordability checks’ because the government says more must be done to stop problem gambling. However, this looks like it will backfire.

The Affordability Checks Saga in the UK Continues to Show Signs of Failure

A recent study conducted by YouGov found that over half of the respondents would refuse to bet at sites with compulsory affordability checks. Additionally, 65% of players say that they’d turn to unregulated sites once they reach the limit. These estimates are backed up by similar studies in other European countries. And to add insult to injury, 70% of players said they would refuse to provide affordability check information.

In response to the recent survey, the Betting and Gaming Council (BCC) has issued a warning that these checks threaten the regulated industry. The body claims that such restrictions will hurt its members’ ability to operate and discourage customers from using the legal gambling industry.

The UK Gambling Commission is considering whether to introduce affordability checks. This would apply a limit on how much punters can bet. But some experts have warned that such measures could drive players to unregulated gambling sites.

Some gambling companies are concerned that their financial losses will increase if the checks are imposed. They believe that such checks will make customers feel more like a nanny state. Moreover, the British government has yet to publish a White Paper on the issue. Rather, it has planned a review of the current regulations.

The industry has lobbied for evidence-based approaches to re-regulating the industry. It has also cited the introduction of online affordability checks as one of the reasons for the decline in the industry.

Related Regulatory News: LVBet & Energy casinos exit the UK iGaming market – Both companies stated that strict rules have made the UK’s regulated online gambling zone unattainable.

British Gambling’s Contribution to the UK – yet the industry is bullied!

Currently, the UK’s gambling industry (members of the BCC) contributes a staggering £7.1 billion to the UK economy and £4.2 billion to the Treasury. That’s a mammoth amount of cash. On top of this, there are over 110,000 people in the country working for online or land-based companies. This figure also drafts those working for tech and hospitality companies with contracts to supply iGaming, sports betting (retail and online) as well as land-based gambling venues with specialist services. Could you imagine if companies begin to exit the UK market, worst still, foreign investment in the industry is pulled out?

How many times does the UK government need to make the same mistake? It seems to be a regular occurrence with the British government. Sell gold, sell the post office, sell the rail service and everything will be good again. Only it just makes them worse. Could the gambling industry be the next victim of malpractice?

Is the UKGC too Strict or Simply Responding to Increased Pressure?

The answer appears to be a resounding yes. In the meantime, a DCMS select committee is launching an inquiry into the UK government’s approach to gambling regulation. The inquest will focus on the changing nature of the industry and will seek to understand the government’s response to these changes.

The call comes via the National Audit Office and the House of Lords Committee. The message is clear ‘more needs to be done to prevent problem gambling’. With this kind of pressure, of course, affordability checks are the latest gimmick to keep the bigwigs happy. However, half the time these comments are government officials who use words to show others they are doing their job, while they rarely think things through, or do their job correctly for that matter.

Blasé Comments Cause Harm: Ministers usually pick on gambling to gain support on a controversial subject, yet usually little or no thought goes into the matter. They should realise their blasé could lead to a huge exodus of mid-sized gambling companies creating a powerful few in the industry. The result is obvious – by tightening the rules on the whims of ministers looking for an easy backdoor, consumer choice in UK gambling will thin out.