It’s only a matter of time before changes are made to gambling legislation in the UK. That’s according to Peter Hannibal, Chief Executive of the Gambling Business Group (GBG).
Hannibal’s comments come in advance of the General Election, which takes place on 12th December. In their manifestoes, each of the country’s major political parties have stated their intentions to address current gambling laws.
Change is coming
The Conservatives have announced plans to review the 2005 Gambling Act, a pledge similar to that of the Liberal Democrats. Meanwhile, Labour has said it wants to create a new gambling act which is “fit for the digital age”. The Scottish National Party (SNP) also wants laws to be changed.
Looking ahead, Hannibal said: “A review of gambling legislation is now inevitable, whatever the make-up of the next parliament.
“We should look upon this as an opportunity to re-set the narrative around gambling in the UK, but this will require a different approach from everyone, not least from the industry itself.”
He also mentioned that although new laws would likely not be implemented for years, preparation is still important.
A voice for all
The GBG chief also called on the low stake retail sector to ensure that their voice isn’t ignored in the debate. When discussing this topic, he mentioned:
“A common voice for the low stake sector has never been more necessary. We need to examine ways in which the various low stake gaming verticals can collaborate, at the very least on the big ticket items such as empirical research to help inform the debate.”
The turbulent UK gambling landscape
UK gambling has had a rollercoaster of a year. In Q3, it was revealed that online gambling revenue here declined for the first time ever. This was despite an increase in stakes of almost 3%.
