Government must protect the vulnerable, but the vast majority who bet safely and happily should be able to do so without needless intrusion.
In Stoke, bet365 employs over 5000 people in a myriad of roles, many highly skilled and well paid. Jobs like these are the lifeblood of any community.
The Betting and Gaming Council want Britain to carry on boasting a truly world class betting and gaming industry.
Our focus groups in Wakefield are a wake-up call for the Government: responsible adults neither want nor need nannying.
BGC members have recently drawn up a code of conduct, which aims to protect children from gambling ads, among other steps.
This mentality should be extended to the betting and gaming sector, which is at risk of too much regulation.
The industry has gone to huge efforts to become Covid secure, and contributes a huge amount in tax.
Changes are necessary, but they need to be based on evidence and evidence alone.
A YouGov poll found that 51 per cent of voters do not believe that politicians should set limits on how much they can bet.
It’s vital that governments in London and Edinburgh do nothing to make things more difficult than they already are.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has to be prepared to act on the evidence.
We now have an opportunity to right some of the wrongs we are seeing within the industry to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected.
A review should strike the right balance between protecting the vulnerable and not spoiling the enjoyment of people who enjoy a bet perfectly safely.
A unified wallet would cut red tape, prevent abuses, and provide a better insight into an individual’s circumstances.