Gambling Commission’s Andrew Rhodes lays down the future of British gambling

Andrew Rhodes, CEO of the UK Gambling Commission, delivered a detailed speech at the CEO Briefing on 14 November 2024. He shares insights into the current state and future of the British gambling industry. His remarks cover regulatory compliance, consumer transparency, illegal gambling, and innovative measures to protect players.

Regulatory compliance and industry standards

Rhodes highlights progress in industry compliance, noting improvements in how operators implement policies and intervene with at-risk customers. He points to the reduction in high-speed spending without proper checks. However, he raises concerns about uneven compliance levels across the industry. Between April and June, only 42 percent of consumer protection assessments achieve a ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ rating. The rest require improvements or reveal serious failings, emphasising the need for consistent standards.

Collaboration emerges as a key theme. Rhodes discusses the voluntary code developed with the Betting and Gaming Council, designed to reduce friction and improve safeguards for consumers. He also highlights the pilot Relationship Management service, which offers 500 operators dedicated support and resolves 295 queries within an average of two days. The Commission resolves 93 percent of queries within five days, reflecting its commitment to fostering constructive relationships with the industry.

Rhodes addresses challenges stemming from mergers and acquisitions. Growing system complexity, he notes, leads to mistakes such as marketing to excluded individuals. These errors draw criticism, prompting calls for operators to strengthen their systems and prevent such issues.

Consumer transparency and trust

Transparency for consumers takes centre stage. Rhodes criticises the frequent use of vague phrases like “regulatory requirements” to justify account restrictions. He stresses the value of clear communication to avoid frustration and strengthen trust. The Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) shows that only 21 percent of respondents express satisfaction with how gambling businesses treat them. Seventy-four percent feel neutral, while five percent express dissatisfaction.

Withdrawals remain the top source of consumer complaints. Whilst encouraging that processing withdrawals within 24 to 48 hours reaches 99 percent, delays affecting the remaining one percent continue to cause frustration. Rhodes points to issues such as suspected fraud, terms abuse, or discrepancies in financial information as common reasons for delays. He calls for examining these cases and improving the experience for consumers.

Rhodes also touches on consumer trust in fairness. When asked about the fairness of gambling, almost half of the respondents were unsure. This highlights a complex trust deficit, where public opinion remains divided.

Addressing illegal gambling

Illegal gambling poses a significant challenge. Rhodes outlines the Commission’s strategy to combat it through targeted interventions and partnerships with agencies such as the National Crime Agency and HMRC. Since April 2024, the Commission issues over 770 cease and desist notices. The Commission refers over 102,000 URLs to Google, leading to the removal of 64,000 links and the takedown of 264 websites.

Rhodes highlights key groups engaging with illegal sites, including self-excluded individuals targeted by unlicensed operators, bettors seeking fewer restrictions, and those unaware they gamble illegally. Some turn to unregulated platforms to avoid identity checks. Rhodes also addresses illegal land-based gambling, with recent operations leading to arrests. He urges operators to ensure their suppliers do not indirectly support unlicensed activities.

Rhodes calls for operators to take a more proactive role by leveraging their commercial influence to disrupt illegal activity. He emphasises the priority of due diligence in supply chains to eliminate indirect links to unlicensed operations.

Innovation and collaborative engagement

Innovation stands out as a priority for the future. Rhodes praises the launch of GamProtect, a system enabling operators to share information about self-excluded individuals. This prevents access to gambling services across platforms. Since its launch in September 2024, GamProtect flags over 6,000 consumers. The Information Commissioner’s Office guides its development to ensure compliance with data protection laws.

The GSGB also represents a major step forward. Replacing the outdated Health Survey, it delivers more frequent and detailed insights into gambling behaviours. Rhodes highlights its potential to shape industry practices and guide future policy decisions. He notes the GSGB is now the largest survey of its kind globally, providing robust and independent data for operators and regulators alike.

Rhodes references the Operator Engagement Forum as another example of collaboration. Held in September 2024, it brought together around 100 operators and trade bodies for discussions about industry challenges. The Commission plans a follow-up forum in April 2025 to continue building engagement and sharing insights.

Future directions and expectations

Rhodes urges operators to address the perception of unfair treatment, particularly among winning sports bettors. He announces plans to collect detailed data on account restrictions, stake limits, and the broader customer experience. This initiative aims to provide a clearer picture of industry practices and inform future improvements.

Looking ahead, the UKGC continues to raise standards, enhance transparency, and improve communication. Rhodes encourages operators to take greater responsibility for ethical practices and ensure supply chains remain free from links to unlicensed activities.

Rhodes also commits the Commission to greater transparency in its own operations. The impact metrics programme tracks the UKGC’s performance against its licensing objectives, holding the regulator accountable while providing valuable insights to operators.

Andrew Rhodes’ highlights progress in compliance and innovation while addressing areas still requiring improvement. The UKGC’s focus on collaboration, transparency, and consumer protection sets the stage for a more responsible and consumer-centric gambling industry. Through joint efforts and continued innovation, the sector balances growth with safeguarding consumer interests.

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