Legislation

Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed Labour’s general election manifesto

By Phil - 14 June 2024

The Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed Labour’s general election manifesto.

In it, Labour pledged to continue working with industry to drive up standards on responsible betting and gaming. The regulated betting and gaming sector is currently undergoing the biggest regulatory reforms in a generation, following the publication in 2023 of the White Paper.

The council said its members remain committed to delivering the evidence based, proportionate proposals contained in the White Paper, which will drive up standards while putting businesses on the right regulatory footing to thrive.

Those wide-ranging reforms, which will further strengthen protections, are measures both the BGC and Labour have supported, including a statutory levy to tackle problem gambling and gambling related harm, an Ombudsman to improve consumer redress, frictionless financial risk checks online, new stake limits for online slots, a sports sponsorship code and modest but mission critical modernisation proposals for the land-based casino sector.

Betting and Gaming Council CEO and Acting Chair, Michael Dugher, said: “On behalf of our members, the 110,000 people whose jobs rely on the regulated betting and gaming industry, and the 22.5 million people who enjoy a bet each month, we welcome Labour’s general election manifesto and its commitment to continue working with the industry to further drive up standards.

“BGC members are currently undergoing the biggest regulatory changes in a generation following the publication of the White Paper, which Labour supported, and much of this work will be ongoing after the general election. This is also backed up by the industry’s own significant efforts to continue to drive world-class standards and protections for the vulnerable, which has transformed the sector in recent years and stands in marked contrast to the dangers posed by the unsafe, unregulated black market online.

“The BGC and our members remain committed to working with the next government to continue to implement change as part of the evidence-based, proportionate, regulatory changes outlined in the White Paper, ensuring those measures get the balance right between protecting the vulnerable, while allowing the vast majority of punters who enjoying betting responsibly to continue doing so without unnecessary intrusion.

“BGC has long treated Labour as not merely the official opposition in parliament, but as a government in waiting. We have worked closely with shadow ministers in recent years and we strongly welcome their commitment in the manifesto to work with the regulated industry. Whatever happens at the polls, our work to drive up standards carries on and we look forward to partnering with the next government in this vitally important work.”

BGC members are a Great British business success story, on hard-pressed high streets through bookmakers, in the leisure and tourism sector in casinos and bingo halls, and in tech, where these businesses are global leaders in online betting and gaming.

The regulated betting and gaming industry in the UK supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2bn in tax and contributes £7.1bn to the economy.

In addition, our members provide some of the country’s most popular sport with vital funding.

The English Football League and its clubs receive £40m, horseracing receives £350m, and snooker, darts and rugby league receive more than £12.5m.

Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.