iGaming Daily

:
Last week at the Gamblerware Conference, stakeholders examined the government's plans for the design and structure of the statutory levy on problem gambling research, education and treatment. The conference saw Gambler Minister, Baroness Twycross, introduce herself to the UK gambling sector, pledging that transparency in regulatory affairs must be maintained alongside greater accountability from operators. Represented by Tim Miller, the gambling commission reaffirmed its mandate. broaden the scope of problem gambling prevention and intervention across all UK sectors. This was the first conference under a Labour government which emphasised that it aims to be a catalyst in UK gambling. We're going to discuss this further and have a look at the fallout on today's iGaming Daily brought to you by Optimove, the number one CRM marketing solution for the iGaming market. I'm Joe Streeter and today I'm with Ted Menmure, the editor of SBC News. Ted, how are you? Everything okay? Yeah, how are you coping in the cold? All good? Good, good, good. Busy close to the year. As you know, for everyone involved in SBC and just more than the audiences, we're gonna have a bigger 2025. I can't wait. Yeah, yeah. Never stops, Joe, never stops. Well, it's gonna be a big 2025 for the Labour Party and for UK gambling as well. It kind of kicked off already with this conference. It felt like the start of the new year. Yeah, the mood, it felt very much like we are dawning of a new era. We are heading into a new period. What did you make of the conference, Ted? Camel Aware's annual conference for kind of programming stakeholders. It is a spotlight kind of where the industry is and where the industry kind of wants to head into. And it kind of creates... framework for the following year in what needs to be discussed and who the primary stakeholders are in what is the biggest issue in gaming, which is problem gambling and how to combat, treat, and prevent problem gambling. I think that this year has carried significant prominence because it's under a new Labour government, also the introduction of a new regulatory cast for UK The last week's announcement of the RE3 Levee and its design and structure. Now, Joe, you were there. Is it kind of optimism in the red levy and the red levy's design and structure? And what was kind of the general outlook there? Yes, 100% there was optimism. It felt like we were starting something new and there was this, I guess excitement's kind of the wrong word, but I think you get what I mean. There was this weight back that we were. shifting into a new era for UK safer gambling protocols, if you like, and frameworks. There was also this kind of, and you mentioned the new cast, Ted. We don't quite know who's going to be playing a star role in that cast yet, who are going to be the key players. So there was kind of a tentative nervousness around where everybody fits in this puzzle. There's Yeah, there was kind of a nervousness around where everybody sits in this puzzle as, as it really is started again and we'll work towards the same goal of protecting those most vulnerable and ensuring the best kind of gambling environment in the UK. But yeah, who was there, Ted? I mean, you kind of mentioned the cast, the key players that were there. I mean, going back to that, I mean, I think kind of anxieties are quite normal, especially when you are. you know, you're putting sweeping changes to a system that's been around for about 20 years now and moving it kind of statuary funding for problem gambling. Now, I know kind of that the anxieties were there from like the third sector, especially those ones involving like the research and data and where they're gonna fit in the overall kind of structure of the NHS. What was kind of the feedback from them to you? Well, that is a really interesting dynamic moving forward and There was a sense that there is going to be this kind of shift, but also we kind of yet to see where the third sector is going to fit in. But there was also this underlining that it's so vital that the third sector continues to play a pivotal role. We had Stuart Andrew, who obviously former gambling minister, now shadow gambling minister. sat front row for some heavy criticism of the Conservative government, which I'm sure made for an uncomfortable situation for him at certain points. But he actually gave quite an interesting speech, started out with being very apologetic about the Conservative government not finishing the job in terms of... Was he apologetic about the gambling review or just the way they manage DCMS in general? No, just the way they finished it, just the way they didn't finish it. They didn't get the review done in time was his apology. They didn't get it done in time. But he kind of shifted now to say that his role is lobbying for the third sector and ensuring that the third sector really get their voice heard and play a pivotal role. They're going to continue to play a vital role. And I think that's crucial. We obviously had the kind of fallout between Claire Murdoch, who is the National Mental Health Director at the NHS, who kind of took aim at Gordon Moody, which was just baffling really, when you think about the work they've done. But she did, fair play to her, she did later rectify that comment and apologize. And Gordon Moody did issue a statement saying that please she clarified that comment and also that the new framework will fundamentally change how treatment services are funded. And it is vitally important that framework takes into account the work of organizations like Gordon Moody and other in the third sector. So yeah, there is going to be that, I guess you would say like a balance to be found moving forward. It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out. Yeah, yeah. I think there's a lot of kind of dynamics that play. and a lot of interplays between the agencies themselves and how they adjust to kind of that management by the NHS. And it's a, and look, the NHS is a very kind of political animal and there's so many kind of eyes on there. So. Let's move into the headline is Baroness Tycross. And to a certain extent, it was her introduction to UK gambling. And she's calling for, look, she's adamant that the labor can guarantee the transparencies of the laws. But those have to be met with a greater accountability from the sector. Where do you think she's pinpointing at? Well, I think one place she will try and take aim is advertising. I don't think we are. I don't think we're off the hook in terms of advertising. I agree. Yeah, I think gambling advertising is at risk of potentially being threatened. And she also underlined the importance of collaboration and continuing to collaborate. And there was some room for optimism for the industry from her speech, though. She did kind of say that we need to work with the industry and ensure that the industry has heard. I mean, what did you think of it, Ted? What were your kind of takeaways from the opening Twy Cross speech, if you like? It was positive, I'd say. I like the fact that they highlighted that, you know, they are committed to campaign manifesto of just delivering resolutions for gambling. Now, I realize that not everyone's gonna be happy or, you know, in certain determinations in their... I agree with you with that. I think that we're not out of the woods on advertising, but more so on the structures of advertising in UK gambling and who can advertise. I think that follows last week's chaos around the BC game and Leicester City partnership, which is unavoidable in the news at the moment. I think that bears down on the Labour government and will be a point of intervention for them. One of the things that she did mention was that they value the economic output of UK gambling in terms of creating jobs and in terms of how the industry is structured. So it's not just London centric. It's to be talking about where it provides jobs in rural areas or other cities outside of London. So labour are very aware of that, which is a positive. Elsewhere, I don't think that there's much of a change. I mean, I think... Where it's good for UK gambling is there is kind of political census of like, let's just get stuff moving forward now. After kind of what has been, you know, really dragged affairs of 2021, 2022, and even 2023. So look, resolutions, they're welcome. Let's be happy on that, at least. She was really keen to emphasize just how much on the front foot the Labour government has been in manifesto promises and, you know, including when it comes to the gambling industry and Ted is, it's really important as well. I mean, the other narrative shifts, but it was a little over a month ago that we were kind of talking about potential tax rises on the gambling industry, like significant tax rises on the gambling industry. So there weren't many clues in this, at this conference in these speeches around that. that does still kind of loom. And I do think that might kind of rear its head again. Do you think there were any kind of hints that you feel less or more optimistic that we will avoid those tax rises off the back of this conference? Or was there very little given away? Yeah, I mean, look, valid points. And I think that for industry stakeholders, the focus now has returned to kind of the evaluation that was announced by DCMS on the gambling review. And the factors that are going to determine how successful the Gannon Review's white paper recommendations are, the impact not only on UK consumers but on UK society, and whether the changes have had a positive outcome. Now, this isn't going to happen over a six-month period. The evaluation is carried over. I think the first publication is going to come out in 2016 on the first kind of metrics of the gambling review. And then the other factor here is that I think that they're adding a lot more conditions of how you evaluate problem gambling dynamics, one of them being the lived experience group and then kind of referencing that with an overall evaluation of the framework for the gambling review. So there's again, everything evolves around these kind of deep interplays for UK gambling. and you can never kind of just define like one outcome, which I think is true of a sector. Yeah, no, I agree. And we had the Tim Miller speech as well. I guess that kind of led that kind of, provided a little bit of an update on how policy will be evaluated and what policy changes will look like moving forward. Yes, I mean, you know, you reported on that. And again, I think the UKGC carries this kind of greater vision of how they can expand or broaden kind of the remit of tackling problem gambling, not just in the UK gambling sector, but widen kind of the stakeholders that play. I think Tim Miller is really committed to kind of getting a greater view or, you know, a bigger kind of... a bigger emphasis from UK finance, especially at the first point of risk and determining the factors of what are the threats onto the customer engaging with gambling. It's a big mission for the UK GC on whether they can pull off. And again, this returns back to another big subject matter for next year, which will be the single view of the industry and whether the UK GC can achieve that. Yeah, there was actually a very vocal point, especially kind of the midpoint in the conference. There were a couple of panels there around data and around ensuring the role of the financial sector is implemented and it is maximized as well and how we can look at other industries. Obviously, the gambling industry is very unique, but the role of the financial sector was pinpointed. It's being crucial. And best tapping into data too. There was also another couple of things kind of that are worth drawing attention to from the conference. We had a, we had a police and crime commissioner there as well. And I think that really underlined the point about talking to prisons, talking in prisons. And I think it really uncovered that they're really trying to cover all corners when it comes to safer gambling, moving forward and ensure that nobody gets missed in this safety net. And with that, we had somebody called Alistair Barefield. He gave a speech on what's the new generation called? I'm not sure. Gen Alpha, is it something like that? Gen Z. For Gen Z, they're like 14 now, turning 18. How important it is that you kind of educate this newer generation that have lived their whole lives on mobile phones and engaging with streamers. How important that they're educated now on the gambling sector and the risks involved to that. when they turn 18, you're not just flooded with these people that are kind of hooked on phones, hooked on streamers that are already being utilized in the space. So yeah, that was very interesting and just speaks more to covering all corners when it comes to the safety net. Yeah. So look, let's wrap up because it's hard to report from conferences, right? And especially kind of being reacted to what is being said on stage, covering panels. But It's funny because 2024 is going to be the year of resolutions, but also the nets of stakeholders just keeps on widening for, be it New Problem Gambling, UKGC, DCMS, who's involved, who participates in this industry. And Joe, do you think that going now into kind of... government looking for the outcomes and how to define the success of the gambling review. Do you think that so many stakeholders can feasibly determine what are the positives and negatives of the gambling review? What has actually worked? What hasn't? Because everyone's just going to have a diverse opinion. Yes, a diverse opinion for a very diverse problem as well. I think that's important to know. I don't think the problem is a one size fits all, I think. It's a very diverse problem. I think everybody kind of engages with gambling different. So I do think having all those voices at the table as much as sometimes it might create issues. I think it's important when it comes to finding the solution that all those voices are at the table. So yeah, I'm optimistic. I think there will be roadblocks. I think there will be challenges, but I am optimistic that it's incredibly important to kind of have such a diverse range of voices. Yeah, I've got to fire that question back at you, Ted, because it's such a big question, such an important question. I'd be interested to hear your opinion. My advice for 2025 is I think UK gambling, like in Jaws, they're going to need a bigger boat. Let's end on that. Yeah, that's a good way to close, Ted. And yeah, thanks ever so much for listening, everyone, and catch you next time on the iGaming Daily.