Written by Jon Bryan | Expected reading time 4 minutes
Last Updated: March 5, 2025
Written by Jon Bryan
Writing for SlotsHawk.com, Jon Bryan reviews what we learnt from the Betting and Gaming Council’s AGM last month.
According to the BGC’s CEO, Grainne Hurst, we are in for ‘a period of regulatory stability’. For gamblers and anyone associated with the industry, that would be a help. There has been significant change over the last few years in the gambling landscape, with both the run-up to – and the publication of – the Gambling White Paper. It’s often said that information and certainty is what you need when it comes to gambling, and
there has definitely been a lack of certainty in recent times.
GIVING CONFIDENCE TO THE INDUSTRY?
The Minister for Gambling, Baroness Twycross, tried to give some confidence to the gambling industry in her speech at the AGM. She talked about the ‘value’ that the industry brings, both in ‘tax receipts and jobs created’, as well as ‘a leisure activity’. But for those still struggling with both the technical and philosophical difficulties of differentiating between adults aged 18-24, and those aged 25 and over, she confirmed that the rules for online slots which creates those difficulties were coming into force in April and May.
For those not familiar with the new legislation, there will be a limit of £5 per spin for online slots to begin on 9th April 2025. From 21st May 2025 that limit will be reduced to £2 for those aged 18-24. I’ve written previously about this issue and remain totally opposed to creating two different types of adults through this legislation. It sets dangerous and worrying precedents for legislators and policymakers. Perhaps lower alcohol content beer for 18–24-year-olds is just around the corner?
ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP
The Minister also stated that gambling advertising was ‘one of the biggest issues raised with me’. She went on to state her intentions:
“I have tasked the industry with doing more to work together to ensure that gambling advertising and sponsorship is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm.”
That is a big ask from a government minister. It will be interesting to see how the industry responds.
The themes of sponsorship, advertising and marketing also featured in comments made at the AGM by Andrew Rhodes, the Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, and this was alluded to as being an issue by others during the day.
The ability of gambling organisations to be able to market and promote themselves is certainly under attack, not least through organisations such as the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, who seem to get a lot of airtime in the media, often un-challenged. This is not good for anyone who cares about issues like free speech, censorship and bans. I have no issue with controls and/or guidance to make sure that gambling adverts are focused on adults rather than children, but I take issue with the idea that the government should be given the legal power to stop gambling companies from marketing themselves. This is certainly one to watch over the coming months.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE DATA AND RESEARCH
At the AGM, BGC CEO Grainne Hurst highlighted a relatively hostile media environment, and the preponderance of ‘inaccurate data and misinformation’. Andrew Rhodes, from the Gambling Commission, also highlighted this in his speech. When it comes to the misuse of data, he said:
“It is unhelpful, it is distracting and it is frustrating.”
Apart from those who might benefit from a lack of clarity regarding evidence and data, there seems to be some common ground on this issue.
STABILITY?
Back to this issue of whether we can expect the coming period to be a stable one, for both gamblers and the gambling industry. To some extent, it might depend on what else happens, and how others react to it. For example, how many of us expected the Welsh government to suddenly announce that they were going to ban greyhound racing? A move immediately labelled by the BGC as ‘draconian’. And who expected Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, to come to the defence of the greyhound racing industry just days later? We know how much the Grand National has been under attack, over the last couple of years in particular. The importance of defending sports and betting, and all forms of gambling, should be obvious for everyone to see.
One important challenge for those associated with gambling is to continue to tell others that it is a normal activity, enjoyed by almost half the adult population every year. That’s 22.5 million of us. We should not hide the fact that we bet on a horse, put a football accumulator on every Saturday, or enjoy playing poker online, with friends, or in a casino. Whether you gamble by buying a lottery ticket, play online slots, or go to the bingo, gambling is a normal everyday activity enjoyed by loads of us, and there is nothing wrong about that.
Jon Bryan is a Gambling Writer and Poker Player. His pamphlet “Risking It All: The freedom to gamble” is available to purchase or free to download.
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