Following complaints from industry members, the UK Parliamentary All-Party Betting and Gaming Group (APBGG) has announced that it has launched an investigation looking into the ‘competency and effectiveness’ of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
The APBGG made the decision to launch a full investigation as it felt that comments made about UKGC in reports from the Public Accounts Committee, the National Audit Office, and the House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry in 2020 did not cover the “full breadth of allegations” leveled against the regulator.
The APBGG usually accepts and investigates three types of complaints:
- when the UKGC has acted outside of its regulatory authority
- when it has acted outside of the Regulators Code
- when it has delivered a poor level of service to the industry
Should the group find that the UKGC has failed in its duties, it will send a comprehensive report to the DCMS’ review of the Gambling Act. It will also send the findings to the Minister of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is in charge of the regulators, as well as offer the CEO of UKGC an opportunity to respond to the investigation.
In a statement released through its website, APBGG Co-Chair Scott Benton said:
“I feel it is critical that the important player in our business is questioned over its actions. For several years, industry representatives have complained to us about the Commission’s operations. They’ve been too afraid to express their worries in public, some even questioning the legitimacy of the Commission’s commitments because of the Commission’s power over them.”
He went on to add:
“All the gambling business in the United Kingdom wants is a competent and effective regulator.”
While the APBGG’s announcement coincides with the DCMS review of the Gambling Act 2005, no indication has been given as to how long a full investigation could take.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.