January 27, 2020

The Gambling Commission has commissioned advice from both the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) and the Digital Advisory Panel (DAP) to look at reducing gambling harms online.

The recommendations, made in papers from each of the expert groups, include developing a better understanding of the link between game design and gambling harms, trialling new approaches to harm education through evaluation and information sharing and engaging with consumers who have gambled online to understand their experiences and help drive change.

Neil McArthur, Chief Executive, said in response to this advice: “We regulate an industry which is innovative and evolving quickly in response to changes in technology and consumer behaviour and our work with both expert advice groups will guide and influence our regulatory approach. The advice from our expert groups reinforces our view that small and gradual improvements by the industry are simply not enough to keep pace with the emerging risks and opportunities presented by online gambling. Only a bold and innovative approach will allow us to achieve the reduction in the numbers of people experiencing or at risk from gambling harm and this is why, following both sets of advice, we have set tough challenges to the industry which we must see progress on by Spring 2020.”

Dr Anna Van Der Gaag, Chair of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling, said: “We welcome the Commission’s publication of our advice. We identified significant gaps and weaknesses in the current system which, unless addressed, will result in continuing harms from gambling activity and give rise to further public concern. Involving people with lived experience is an essential part of this, along with more robust requirements of operators to be much more proactive and transparent in demonstrating how they are addressing harms from online activity in particular.” To read the Commission’s press release in full, click here.