UKGC Announces 2019 Plan to Improve Industry Standards
The UK Gambling Commission made the improvement of ‘gaming product development’ one of its key targets for next year in a newly launched business plan, which is part of a three-year strategy to overhaul the gambling industry.
The UKGC’s 2019 plan is part of a three year strategy to regulate the gambling industry.
The stated objectives of the strategy are to improve industry standards, consumer protections, and to protect consumers and the public from gambling-related harm.
The latest development is a shift towards tackling the problem from the root and influencing how gambling content is produced. This will involve pushing for stakeholders in the industry to ‘design-in protections and control measures.’
William Moyes, Chair of the Gambling Commission, addressed industry stakeholders and was convinced that changes would bring positive change for consumers at a time when record numbers of UK citizens have been classed as having a gambling problem, including 25,000 children.
Our ambitious plans for the next 12 months and beyond are designed to enable us to continue to respond to emerging risks and issues in a way that balances consumer choice and enjoyment with the risks associated with gambling, and the impact on wider society. – William Moyes, Chairman, UK Gambling Commission
He continued: “Our strategy and plans will deliver real change for consumers, the gambling industry and for us as the regulator. Our aim is to make gambling fairer and safer and to raise standards across the industry.”
The Commission’s report referred to anticipated income for the 2018-19 period, broken into types of gambling. Sports betting is the largest revenue source at around 31% of total fee income. Local land-based casinos come next with approximately 27% of income, with around 17% coming from software products. Society lotteries, arcades and betting machines will generate between 6-8% of revenue, while tax revenue from bingo games will make a projected 4%.
The business plan also highlighted its strategy to regulate the local gambling market, which will include establishing an advisory panel and making the licensing process more simple, automated and transparent.
