Waiting for the UK government's White Paper on Gambling to set out new reforms to the country's betting and gaming business, the industry standards body Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) said in a statement that it would allow for funding problem gaming programs. If the levy protects the land-based operator, it says its members will agree to pay.
BGC members fund projects
The Betting & Gaming Gaming Council says the regulated betting and gaming industry has already spent millions of dollars in research, education and treatment through voluntary payments used to support around 85% of problem gaming programs in the UK. (RET) I pointed out that I'm pouring into the service.BGC also reports that the big four operators have contributed an additional £4m to independent organization GambleAware in 2024 for a five-year problem gaming project to be completed by March 3.
The organization further states that all RET funds will only be donated to independent charities with the approval of the Gambling Commission. BGC members say they welcome the long-awaited government gambling review to provide for mandatory collections and continue independent charity work.BGC also said that the contribution rate should be different for land-based operators and online casinos and sports betting operators, with the former paying a smaller percentage due to fixed costs such as facilities and staff. is showing.
Call for lower fees for land-based operators
The industry standards body is making this statement out of concern that the government may announce a flat rate of 1% for all members in an upcoming white paper.The concern stems from post-Covid recovery figures and rising inflation rates affecting land-based operations, with a flat 1% fee for land-based operators with fixed costs, according to the statement. will have a stronger impact (equivalent to 10-15% of tax after profits) than online casinos without these costs.
BGC members generate approximately £71 billion in gross gaming revenue and £42 billion in tax revenue annually.The industry supports around 11 jobs, casinos 1 jobs and £5 million in tax revenue, and sports betting 3 jobs and £4 million in tax revenue.
Mandatory funding of problem gambling
BGC CEO Michael Dugher said: “I have long believed that when it comes to so-called statutory collections, funds from BGC members are already on the table and distributed independently of the industry. and given that it was BGC who proposed last year that the government should be required to contribute, it would be eased.”
Dugher said he wants BGC to continue funding RET if the government recognizes "the fact that land operators are under greater cost pressure."He wants "funds to continue to be distributed effectively and purely independently."
Independent organizations should be funded
“Our largest members are already paying 1% to fund research, education and therapeutic services through a completely independent system,” continued Dugher. A priority for BGC and its members is to ensure that funds go to charities that are doing good work, and are truly independent funds, as evidenced by research.In comparison, the mechanism for generating funds is irrelevant.Also, some people in the NHS previously said they would not accept funding from the industry, but now they seem to do so, which is welcome."
Addressing the issue of problem gambling, Mr Dugher said: "There are about 2,250 million people who gamble regularly in this country, the overwhelming majority of whom are completely safe and responsible. As such, only 0.2% of adults have a gambling addiction, with multiple complex health problems requiring clinic treatment and the most serious case of 'disordered gambling'. It is absolutely essential to provide treatment for people who are sadly afflicted by ”
help small minorities
According to Dugher, they are a minority of the problem gamblers group as defined by the Gambling Commission, and "there are also wonderful treatments available in the third sector," which the government "shouldn't put at risk." I'm watching it.
“The industry’s biggest players have pledged an additional £2019m to tackle gambling-related harm from 1 through a new independent voluntary levy. We plan to donate £2024m, and we have made many other donations in other ways, such as the £1m harm prevention program for school-aged children, offered by leading charities YGAM and GamCare, which has 1000 More than 1,000 young people are participating, and this money is distributed completely independently of the industry, and of course we can't say anything about how or where it's spent," Dugher said. Added:
"This money will be added to the £42bn tax money already funding the NHS. Importantly, the money will be used to help the very few people who need to gamble. It's not going to be wasted on the cottage industry of anti-gambling masquerading as biased research."
Gambling reform should protect land-based operators
``But most importantly, the new system will allow land-based businesses with disproportionately high fixed costs for buildings and tens of thousands of staff, such as bingo, casinos and gambling halls,'' he said. That means it must be stratified to protect those who, like other retail, hospitality and entertainment industries, are in a post-Covid predicament amid severe economic headwinds. The government believes in low regulation and low tax rates for businesses, but the new tax must not lead to job losses or business bankruptcies.
BGC hopes the new tax model to fund RET will be included in the upcoming gambling reform in the UK.The group says it supports the white paper on gambling and believes no changes will drive customers to the black market.The proposal to cut funding for gambling addiction groups is another signal to the government about industry sentiment that will help lawmakers in advancing gambling reform.
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