Gambling operators in the UK have been accused of mixing a “dodgy dossier” to make the scale of betting on the black market stronger as part of their efforts to affect the Government’s upcoming review of the sector that is likely to result in stricter regulation of the country’s gambling market.
According to figures that have recently been seized on a report of the gambling industry, a stricter legislative and regulatory regime could encourage a large number of people to start betting with rogue gambling companies operating in the black market. Reports have claimed that about £1.4 billion are being spent by 200,000 people in the UK on an annual basis.
As The Guardian reported, in a letter to a Members of Parliament’s cross-party group, Neil McArthur, the Chief Executive Officer of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), assessed the report quite poorly. In the report, the gambling watchdog’s boss explained that the report, which had been prepared by the consultancy firm PwC, was not consistent and did not make a difference between real customers using black-market operating gambling sites and automated systems and bots.
According to Mr McArthur, the report in question should be treated with caution and explained that it actually lacked evidence to prove the claims for illegal gambling increase.
UK Government Considers Tougher Regulation of Gambling Operations
The UKGC’s boss shared that black market concerns should be proportionate to the current situation in spite of some consultants’ reports that are paid for by the industry. He explained that the Commission’s own evidence suggested that the impact of the illegal market that licensed gambling companies and their trade bodies have been concerned about might be exaggerated.
Mr McArthur further said such assessments should not act as a distraction from the need for stricter standards aimed at making the services offered by the gambling regulated market safer.
The straightforward criticism from the UK gambling industry regulator will come as a blow for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the trade body representing the legal gambling companies operating in the country, which has repeatedly referred to the report in order to support its arguments against tougher regulation of the sector.
As Casino Guardian has previously reported, the UK Government has started the consideration of a range of measures that could result in stricter limitations for companies offering gambling services in the country. The discussed measures could involve the implementation of obligatory affordability checks for online gambling operators in case their customers deposit a certain amount on a monthly basis, as well as some lower stake limits on online slot machines.
For now, the UKGC’s boss dismissed the fears of the BGC that stricter measures could actually push consumers to start gambling with illegal gambling companies operating in the black market.
- Author
Olivia Cole
