Stay Informed With The Latest UK Gambling News
The UK gambling industry is a lucrative business and there is always something going on. Whether it’s new companies entering the market or the latest platform release, there is always something to keep you up to date. However, with so much happening, it can be difficult to know what’s actually happening. That’s why we’ve put together a guide to help you stay in the know. Towards the end of Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister, some of his more controversial proposals were changed or dropped by Downing Street. One such policy was a white paper outlining plans for a levy on betting firms to fund addiction research. The paper made it as far as the “grid” of policy announcements, but was dropped in a final meeting with the Prime Minister’s chief of staff and other senior officials, according to four people familiar with the matter. In the UK, a large portion of gambling revenues come from a small group of people who place bets on everything from sports events to elections and UK gambling news. These punters are known as “regulars” and are worth around £2 billion per year. However, some of these people experience serious problems and can cause harm to others. Problem gamblers often experience financial loss, strained relationships and even homelessness. They also risk a higher rate of suicide and are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. The levy that was proposed by Prest’s team would have been an effective tool to help decrease the risks of gambling. But it was not going to be popular with the industry, he says, and there was no chance of getting the regulator, Department for Digital Culture, Media & Sport and industry executives on side. It was not the first time that Prest and his colleagues had tried to pitch their idea and he admits they were warned that they would struggle to get it off the ground. One of the main reasons that gambling addiction has become front page news is because of a series of high-profile suicides by men with gambling problems. In 2021, a number of MPs started calling for tighter controls on the industry and the Gambling Commission started to respond. That February, it clamped down on online slot machines by reducing spin speeds. However, this is not enough to appease the growing chorus of MPs who are demanding a more forceful approach to the issue. They are accusing the charity of victim-blaming and say its links to the industry are a conflict of interest. This is a serious accusation and the Charity Commission can escalate this to a full statutory investigation. It has the power to also disqualify trustees of the organisation in question. However, GambleAware strongly denies the claims. It says its independence is crucial for the millions of people it helps. The charity claims that its clinics are part-funded by the industry, but only a tiny percentage of patients are referred from the NHS.