UK firms fund responsible gaming

UK betting firms have offered the government to fund responsible gaming campaigns.

UK.- As the United Kingdom’s government is releasing the results of long-term assessment on gaming industry operations, local firms have offered to fund awareness campaigns about responsible gaming. According to the Labour party, the offerings must not result in a “stitch-up” to avoid further regulation on the industry.

“More and more research is showing that gambling addiction is a hidden epidemic in the UK. We can’t just rely on voluntary action from the betting companies to deal with the problem,” commented Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson. “The government’s review needs to look in particular at advertising that children are more likely to see, including pre-watershed gambling advertising around live sporting events, and football shirt sponsorship by betting firms.”

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is preparing the final report on national gaming industry, including details on operations, advertisement, current regulation and proposals, among others. The review is also adding the government’s recommendation to limit betting advertisement on television.

“There must be no stitch-up to help the gambling industry avoid tighter restrictions on advertising,” added Watson. “Industry-funded campaigns highlighting the risks of problem gambling are all very well, but they can’t be an alternative to regulation.”