The BGC (Betting and Gaming Council) has pledged to continue improving safer gambling standards in the regulated market, following on from the UKGC’s publication that revealed the continued prevalence of problem gambling in the United Kingdom.
Creating a safer gambling market for everyone
Figures from the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) showed that the rate of problem gambling in the UK had dropped from 0.6% to 0.3% in 2020. Meanwhile, the number of gamblers that were classified as being at ‘moderate risk’ fell from 1.2% and 0.9%.
Responding to the news, BGC said that this decrease shows how its “work over the past 12 months on promoting safer gambling is having an impact.” Despite these positive results, UKGC was not fully satisfied – saying these figures were not “statistically significant.”
As such, BGC reasserted its commitment to safer gambling. The Executive Director for Standards and Innovation at BGC, Wes Himes, announced this: “Since being established in 2019, we have worked tirelessly to drive up standards in the regulated betting and gaming industry and promote safer gambling.”
One problem gambler is one too many
He continued: “Our initiatives have included encouraging deposit limits, investing more in research, education and treatment, and introducing tough new rules on VIP schemes and game design. One problem gambler is one too many, however, and we are determined to keep up the momentum in the months ahead.
“For example, we’re looking at how we extend filtering for online ads and are working with online platforms on opt-outs for betting advertising. We look forward to engaging with the government’s gambling review to ensure a safer gambling environment for our millions of customers,” Himes concluded.
Thanks to the hard work of the BGC and UKGC, the regulated market for gambling in the United Kingdom will be safer than ever before.
