BGC AGM Cancer in society comment proves gambling s unbridgeable divide in the UK

John Whittingdale MP gave an in-person address at the Betting & Gaming Council’s (BGC) AGM on Thursday 20 January – and one of his key points illustrated the opposition gambling will always face in government

John Whittingdale MP gave an in the flesh(p) destination at the Betting & Gaming Council’s (BGC) AGM on Th 20 January – and one of his paint points illustrated the opposition play will e'er face inwards government.

Gambling Insider was in attending as Whittingdale discussed the contrastive approaches to the play manufacture that have got ever created a great fraction within the UK market, something he described as an “unbridgeable divide.”

This separate is best characterised past a politico describing all play as a “cancer inwards society.”

Whittingdale said: “There are those, not least inwards Parliament, who conceive play is inherently dangerous. a minister inward the House of Lords recently described play as a malignant neoplastic disease in smart set – non gambling addiction, but gambling.

“Some lobbyists told me there are deuce types of gambler: gamblers who are addicts and gamblers who are potentiality addicts.

“That is a divide that is belike unbridgeable. In most issues, thither is a reasonably sort out difference between parties – but this is not the caseful in gambling.”

On the issue of the media, Whittingdale further acknowledged the oppositeness gambling traditionally faces from mainstream subject press.

He did, however, consultation BGC Chair Brigid Simmonds’ note that “one problem risk taker is single too many.”

Whittingdale explained: “In genuine fact, the incidence of job gambling has been falling. So the somewhat hysterical comments made inwards the media would yield the impression that this is a scourge that’s increasing by the month.

“But it was Brigid who said ace job gambler is ace too many. So it doesn’t matter if relative incidence is going upward or down, as long as there are people who want help.”

Whittingdale later used the instance of drones hovering remote horserace tracks, cinematography races for grim securities industry operators – suggesting the threat of the dim market is to a greater extent than just a scarlet herring, as critics feature in the past tense suggested.

On the government issue of sponsorship, the MP admitted the Premier League, which is “awash with money,” wouldn’t necessarily demand gambling sponsorship – but pointed out that lour leagues do good improbably and may comfortably not hold up without it.

He later also conceded thither is a instance for more to be through with(p) inward reducing the scurf of VIP programs within the industry, while welcoming the idea of a gambling ombudsman.

On that topic, though, he warned that it is “desirable but not a panacea,” and that gamblers who feature missed can’t just now live given their money back because they didn't win. In short, bettors cognize the risks mired when they gamble.

Whittingdale’s net peak of observe was a slight literary criticism of the Gambling Commission for its role inward the Football Index saga. Well, perhaps non the Commission itself but the laws that did non require it to “understand the economic viability” of a gambling product. Surely, if anything should exchange during the upcoming Gambling Review, it is on the button that.

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