British Gambling Commission launches corporate strategy and business plan
The British national gambling regulator has launched its three-year corporate strategy as the government plans a shakeup of gambling law.
UK.- The Gambling Commission has launched a three-year corporate strategy setting out its priorities for 2021-24.
The British regulator has outlined five priority areas: the protection of children and vulnerable people from gambling-related harm, a fairer market with better-informed customers, keeping crime out of gambling, the optimisation of charitable donations from the National Lottery and improving gambling regulation.
The priorities are rather similar to those for the previous three-year strategy for 2018-21, which set priorities of protecting consumer interests, preventing harm to the public, raising standards in the gambling market, optimising charitable returns from lotteries and improving the way the commission regulates.
The only major change appears to be a stronger focus on criminal activity and protection for minors and the vulnerable.
Gambling Commission business plan 2021-2022
The Gambling Commission has also launched its annual business plan for the financial year starting April 1 2021.
The plan sets out proposed milestones for the year. One of the main topics is the commission’s competition for the UK’s next National Lottery licence and the assurance of a smooth transition without affecting the performance of the current licence.
The commission also emphasised that it would continue to focus on monitoring operators’ compliance with enhanced player protection measures.
See also: British Gambling Commission reprimands five casinos
The regulator’s plan justifies its new rules introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as stricter affordability checks and a ban on reverse withdrawals.
As for its own balance sheet, the commission estimated that staff expenditure would account for 73 per cent of its costs for the year.
It estimates that 34 per cent of its income will come from the betting sector, 26 per cent from casino, 12 per cent from software, 8 per cent each from arcades, lotteries and machines and 4 per cent from bingo.
The launch of the Gambling Commission’s new strategy and business plan comes just weeks after Neil McArthur announced his surprise departure as chief executive of the regulator.
