Gambling Commission confirmed plans to fill evidence gap over the next three year. The Commission has outlined a plan that spans from 2023 to 2026. Its ultimate goal is to gather evidence that will help it protect its customers better and make effective changes when necessary.
The Commission recognized the importance of a data-based approach, explaining that ” Better data, better research, and better evidence will result in better gambling regulations, and better outcomes for gambling consumers, their communities, and the gambling industry itself.”
In the coming three years, the watchdog’s focus will be on six distinct areas. In order to improve its evidence in these verticals the Commission will collect more data on illegal gambling, crime and different gambling products, and what risks may they pose to consumers.
The Commission is also focusing on the actions of gambling operators, gateway products and the way young consumers are exposed to gambling. The regulator will strengthen its evidence on gambling-related harms, problem gambling, and vulnerability. It will also investigate “the range of variability in gambling experiences.”
New evidence and research is vital for the industry
The Commission believes that new evidence is vital to its role as a regulator, and it also contributes to industry’s evidence-based strategy. The Gambling Commission explained that, “as you might expect, all of them relate to our role in regulating gambling to ensure it is safe, fair, and free from crime.”
The Commission also said that it will release a final document that will not only serve the Commission, but will also benefit other stakeholders.
There are key areas where we would like to learn more. Each area also has actions that can be taken by the Commission, but there is work that needs to be done by others, including researchers, third-sector bodies, and the gambling industry itself.
Tim Miller is the executive director for research and policy of the Gambling Commission
Tim Miller explains that the Commission’s executive Director of Research and Policy, Tim Miller explains that the plan to collect evidence and data is being implemented at a time where major changes in the gambling sector may be made following the publication of the White Paper. He said that these efforts would help to ensure that gambling is fair, safe, and free from any crime.