BGC CEO: "We are now working hard to ensure casinos can open again as soon as possible"

On Friday's first anniversary of the Betting and Gaming Council, the UK standards body representing betting shops, casinos and online gaming, its chief executive officer Michael Dugher issued an open personal letter.

He said that despite the unforeseeable challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, "at no point did we take our eye off the ball when it comes to our top priority – raising standards and driving big changes across our industry." 

"From encouraging deposit limits and boosting spending on research, education and treatment services, to reducing the number of betting ads seen by children and introducing tough new rules on VIP schemes, the BGC has been determined to drive change. And we have lots more still to do," Dugher continued.

He said that amid the gaming business closures nationwide, the BGC "successfully lobbied Government to ensure they qualified for vital business rate relief at a time when they were unable to generate any revenue." The BGC also published a 10-pledge action plan setting out the standards expected of its members during the crisis, including encouraging deposit limits and stepping up interventions if customers spent too much time or money betting, he said. "BGC members went further by removing all TV and radio gaming ads for six weeks, followed by a commitment that at least 20 per cent of ads in future should be safer gambling messages."

Dugher highlighted other actions by the BGC since the outbreak began, including a fundraise for NHS Charities Together, the publication of the code of conduct on VIP schemes and a new game design code, a successful lobby for betting shops reopening with other ‘non-essential retail’ businesses in June and for casinos to follow suit in August. "It is obviously disappointing that, as we enter a second national lockdown in England, they are having to close again, despite their excellent anti-Covid measures and the absence of any evidence that they contribute to the spread of the virus. We are now working hard to ensure they can open again – and start generating vital tax revenues for the Treasury – as soon as possible," he said in the letter.

"As we mark our first birthday, we know the Government is preparing to launch its Gambling Review, beginning with a 'call for evidence', something which will shape our industry for years to come. We hope that this will be an evidence-led review and are very much looking forward to playing our part in the process," BGC CEO wrote.

Dugher stated that the industry employs around 100,000 people, in normal times it contributes more than £3 billion a year to the Exchequer, and it also provides £250 million for horseracing, as well as between £120 million and £200 million in tourism spend. "That’s why we also hope that the Government’s Review will avoid unintended consequences like driving customers to gamble on the offshore, illegal black market, where there is no such thing as safer gambling," he said.