Entain publicly supports tighter regulations and better player protection measures. However, recent evidence indicates that the company is trying to subtly undermine the much-needed reforms in the white paper. The operator has denied any responsibility but its links to lobbying organizations have led many government officials to question the sincerity in its statements.
The Operator has Founded its own advocacy group
The Players’ Panel was created by Entain to allegedly give responsible gamblers a voice. The website of the organization regularly posts articles that promote gambling, highlighting its positive impacts while ignoring any negatives. The lobbying firm CT Group was also involved in the campaign, which casts doubt on the group’s claim to be a grassroots organization.
The Guardian published a report recently revealing that the Players’ Panel has launched a campaign to stop the imminent UK White Paper. They have portrayed the updated government safe gambling measures as an violation of their freedom . Many blog posts on the organization’s site complain about how reforms violate their basic human rights.
Why should the government decide what is too much betting on football? Why should the government check every cent I have in my account?
Andy, Players’ Panel advocate
The Players’ Panel went one step further and sent its members samples of emails that they could send to their MP. The ten templates criticized the government again for restricting gambling freedom and urged the MP to contact the gambling minister Lucy Frazer. These emails are strikingly similar to blog posts by the Players’ Panel and do not mention Entain’s involvement.
UK Officials were less than pleased
The Players’ Panel claims that its opinions are their own. Entain avoided commenting about its direct involvement and instead praised the platform’s ability to empower responsible gamblers. The operator also refused to disclose the amount of funding it provided, and avoided commenting about the extent of its participation with the lobbying email.
Government officials pointed out that the divergence between Entain’s pro-regulation position and its underhanded behavior was not a mere coincidence. Ruth Davidson was the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives. She noted that the emails deliberately omitted Entain’s involvement. Entain was accused by other UK politicians of hiding behind constituents.
It is dishonest to keep members of parliament and the public in the dark about which gambling company is funding lobbying.
Ruth Davidson is a former Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Leader
Entain’s recent lobbying efforts against gambling reforms have sparked a growing controversy. This highlights the importance of transparency and ethical conduct within the industry. Operators can still be profitable in countries like Belgium and The Netherlands, despite much stricter regulation. The well-being and financial gain of the company must be put before that of its customers.
