As a part of its upcoming Gambling White Paper, the BGC has asked the UK Government to prioritise child protection.
Children Safety First
The association says that the regulated industry's continued efforts to keep young people safe contrast sharply with the criminal market, which "has none of the safer gambling measures offered" by its members.
Betting and Gaming Council chief executive, Michael Dugher, lauded the group's achievements and hoped the government would prioritise protecting minors from gambling, primarily from illegal gaming.
The BGC has called on others in the regulated betting and gaming industry to follow the lead of betting shops when it comes to independent age verification checks. The BGC is working with social media platforms and search companies to look into ways to allow individuals to unsubscribe from betting advertisements.
Dugher emphasised they fully endorse the Government's Gaming Review, which prioritises protecting children and vulnerable people in a fair and open gambling market, adding that the industry "is determined to promote safer gambling".
The BGC lists 15 measures implemented since 2019, including:
- £10 million Young People's Gambling Harm Prevention Programme.
- Restrictions on children viewing gambling advertisements on football clubs' official social media accounts.
- A whistle-to-whistle ban.
- Age-based restrictions on social media advertising.
- More steps are expected in the following months.
In addition, the BGC has urged others in the regulated betting and gaming business to follow betting shops' lead regarding independent age verification procedures.
There’s Hope
Dugher remarked that the actions taken by BGC members over the last two years are beginning to bear fruit.
"Nevertheless, we are not complacent, and protecting young people remains our top priority as we continue raising standards across the regulated industry", said Daugher.
Daugher concluded that the BGC and its members will continue to push for more improvements to protect under-18s and other vulnerable populations from gambling advertising on the internet.
