The gambling industry trade body – the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – has urged the UK Government to establish the figure of a Gambling Ombudsman to address consumer concerns.
The BGC, which represents both the retail and the online gambling operators, has proposed that there should be a legal requirement for all gaming and betting companies that operate under a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence to sign up to the new body. A number of campaigners and interest groups have insisted on the establishment of a gambling ombudsman for the British gambling sector, at a time when the British Government is carrying out a thorough review of the country’s gambling legislation.
Michael Dugher, the CEO of the BGC, said that the gambling industry’s trade body remained determined to boost the standards in the regulated betting and gaming industry. He also shared that the Betting and Gaming Council hoped for the Government to be favourable to the organisation’s calls for the establishment of the Gambling Ombudsman figure as soon as possible after the Government’s gambling review is brought to an end.
The betting sector’s standards body recognises the importance of further changes to be brought to the industry, with the BGC claiming that a new Gambling Ombudsman would be a step forward when it comes to addressing customer concerns.
Systems to Deal with Customer Complaints Already Exist in the UK Gambling Sector
The idea of establishing the figure of a Gambling Ombudsman was unveiled a couple of years ago by Tom Watson, the then-deputy leader of the Labour Party. Under the proposal, the party was looking for the creation of a body that would be equal to the UKGC and dedicated to the provision of data transparency and consumer protection, which keeps customers safe. At the same time, the proposed figure of the Gambling Ombudsman would ensure financial compensation when appropriate.
In 2020, a report from the Social Market Foundation think tank urged the UK Government to place an ombudsman in charge of the operator data necessary to implement controversial gambling customers’ affordability checks.
The proposal was backed by the CEO of the UK and Ireland unit of Flutter Entertainment, Conor Grant. He shared that his company’s business has always been oriented towards providing great entertainment to its customers and at the same time remain in line with the country’s safer gambling practices that have been subject to enhancement in the last few years.
The BGC acknowledge that there are currently systems for dealing with consumer complaints but the proposed figure of the Gambling Ombudsman would improve the process and make the procedures more consistent.
The proposal for the Gambling Ombudsman establishment could jeopardise the existing dispute resolution bodies, such as the Independent Betting Adjudication Service but it remains to be seen what happens to them in the months to come.
- Author
Daniel Williams
