British MPs to investigate Gambling Commission

The All-Party Betting and Gaming Group will investigate the Gambling Commission’s “competence and effectiveness”.

UK.- The British parliament’s All-Party Betting and Gaming Group (APBGG) has launched an inquiry into the Gambling Commission’s “competence and effectiveness” after receiving a number of complaints from the industry.

The group said operators had complained of cases in which the national regulator had overstepped its powers or acted outside of the Regulator’s Code. They have also questioned the Gambling Commission’s ability to function.

Operators active in the British market have until October 31 to submit complaints to the group’s investigation. If the APBGG finds that its inquiry merits a report, that will be submitted to the government’s current review of gambling legislation. The Gambling Commission would also be given the opportunity to respond at an industry audience.

APBGG co-chair Scott Benton MP said: “I believe it is essential that the key player in our industry is challenged over its actions. For a number of years, industry members have come to us and complained about the activities of the Commission.

“They have been too scared to go public with their concerns, some even about the very legality of the Commission’s undertakings due to the Commission’s power over them. As they have no formal method of complaint apart from to the Commission itself, we feel it is our duty to provide a conduit for legitimate criticism of the regulator.”

The investigation comes after the UK government said it would be looking at the Gambling Commission’s actions in its inquiry into the collapse of Football Index.

The Gambling Commission has yet to appoint a permanent CEO after Neil MacArthur’s surprise resignation in March. The post is currently occupied by Andrew Rhodes on an interim basis. Earlier this month, Marcus Boyle was named to replace Bill Moyes as chair of the regulator.

Benton said: “As Co-Chairman of the All-Party Betting and Gaming Group, we are pleased that the new interim CEO has been given the job of ‘rebooting’ the regulator, we hope that the findings of our investigation will help him and DDCMS answer some very serious concerns that the industry has.

“All the British gambling industry wants is a competent and effective regulator.”