Betting giant Entain funded a lobbying campaign that rallied gamblers to complain to their local Members of Parliament about the recently proposed gambling industry reforms. Last month, the British government unveiled a white paper with proposals to amend the local gambling legislation and enforce stricter regulations on licensed operators. Some of the proposed measures aim to minimise gambling-related harm but could also negatively impact the bottom line of betting brands like Entain’s Ladbrokes, PartyCasino, and Coral. In a press release published in late April, Entain’s boss Jette Nygaard-Andersen seemingly embraced the reforms and said the company welcomed the clarity they would bring to gambling operators and consumers alike.
However, emails uncovered by local media suggest otherwise. Shortly after the release of the white paper, the Entain-funded organisation Player’ Panel emailed its subscribers urging them to approach their MPs and oppose the looming reforms. The organisation, which claims to be “the voice of the players”, did not impart its relationship with Entain anywhere in the emails, although the logo of the betting firm is featured on its official website. According to the emails, the government’s decision to restrict when and how much players can wager would have a considerable impact on their ability to gamble responsibly. Subscribers were then invited to fill out one of ten letter templates and send them to their MPs.
Some templates referred to the restrictions as a violation of people’s personal freedom and proposed that the issue should be taken up with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, Lucy Frazer. Others urged Members of Parliament to interfere and block specific measures, including the proposed lower limits on online slot wagers, the limitations on free spins promotions, and the stricter affordability checks. The templates took a jab at the recently published white paper and painted it in a negative light, suggesting it could make things worse for local players in a direct contradiction with Entain’s public statement regarding the reforms.
Punters Deserve to Have Their Opinions Heard, Entain Says
The revelations sparked a wave of public indignation, with Carolyn Harris MP denouncing the lobbying campaign as shameful. Harris, who is a stark campaigner for stricter gambling regulation, says the content of the emails reveals the real nature of gambling companies like Entain, which are attempting to obstruct the proposed reforms by resorting to underhand tactics.
The former leader of the Scottish Tory party Ruth Elizabeth Davidson also commented on the matter. According to Davidson, it is perfectly legitimate for members of the public to lobby government representatives on pending legislation. However, the former Scottish Tory leader reproached the Players’ Panel organisation for failing to disclose that its lobbying efforts were funded by Entain. Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith echoed these sentiments, accusing the gambling company of trying to hide behind constituents rather than being upfront about its self-interests.
When approached for comment, the Isle of Man-based betting firm declined to specify what amount of the organisation’s funding it provided. The company said in a statement that it considered it important for ordinary gamblers to have their voices heard during the consultation process, especially when it comes to measures that could significantly impact a recreational activity millions of Brits participate in. According to Entain, encouraging punters to express their opinions about the reforms by no means contradicts the sentiments expressed in Jette Nygaard-Anderson’s official statement about the white paper. The company stressed that some of the people behind the Players’ Panel are volunteers and, as such, do derive any financial gains from Entain.
- Author
Daniel Williams
