The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which is the UK’s single industry body for the betting and gaming industry, has released data from a study that explored the potential outcomes of tight gambling restrictions in the country.
YouGov conducted the study for the BGC. It found that 79% of gamblers fear that increased restrictions could lead to people switching to black-market, unregulated gambling operators. The new study found that 70% of participants admitted they would choose a different bookmaker if they were asked to share “private financial documents” in order to place a bet.
RacingTV’s previous survey revealed that 15% of the 3,500 respondents had known someone who used an unregulated online casino. The same survey found that 80% of respondents disagreed with the bookmaker’s spending limits.
You will need non-intrusive gambling checks
Michael Dugher (CEO of BGC) explained that recent research by YouGov raises concerns that proposed changes to the regulated gaming sector are being pushed ahead by people who have not wagered. He also stated that the BGC supports “genuinely not-intrusive controls, which use technology to target and protect the small minority of vulnerable punters.”
This research is part of a series that highlights the real concerns of millions of punters. They feel that those making decisions about the future and direction of betting are completely out of touch.
Michael Dugher, CEO at the BGC
Dugher acknowledged that blanket affordability controls as well as intrusive restrictions on the sector will likely be rejected by gamblers. Dugher warned that these efforts could even push gamblers towards unregulated black-market operators, which do not provide safe gambling tools, pay taxes, or support the economy.
Ministers need to listen to millions of punters who enjoy Cheltenham, rather than pandering to a small and insensitive minority of anti-gambling prohibitionists,
Dougher added
The latest data from the study was released ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, which is the largest horseracing week. The Festival will host 280,000 people and generate approximately PS274 million ($329.4 millions) for the local economy. Given the event’s popularity, it is anticipated that wagers will be placed on the race tracks for as much as PS1 billion ($1.2B) during the four-day racing.
