Bacta CEO to give UK govt. evidence of gambling reform's impact on the land-based industry

UK trade body Bacta's CEO John White will be outlining the impact of the Gambling Reform White Paper on land-based gambling entertainment businesses when he provides evidence to the UK government’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on July 11. The Committee is chaired by Conservative Party Member of Parliament Dame Caroline Dinenage and features a further ten MPs representing all of the major British political parties.

Looking ahead to his appearance in front of the Committee, the executive said: "Immediately after the White Paper was published on April 28 we started the process of consulting with members and researching the implications and outcomes of the various proposals, specifically the impact of a 50/50 machine ratio, the introduction of modern payment methods and the projected impact of a mandatory levy."

According to John White, the initial research program has been completed, enabling him to share with the Committee both the findings and their analysis of how the White Paper recommendations will impact inward investment, employment levels, the industry’s support for local economies, and the sustainability of businesses.

"Regulation that’s fit for the digital age must permit operators to offer the payment methods that every other land-based retailer provides and which modern consumers expect," he concluded.

The Gambling White Paper aims to revamp gaming regulations to better adapt them to the digital age. The long-awaited review tightens rules on online gambling, including a 1% levy on industry revenue, affordability checks and slot machine stake limits.

The main proposals brought forward by the UK government also include curbing “free spin” and “bonus” offers, measures to slow down online casino games, more resources for the Gambling Commission, and plans for a gambling ombudsman.