Gambling Commission CEO asks operators to join “race to the top”

Gambling Commission CEO Neil McArthur has issued a call to action for the industry “to join the race to the top”, to help restore trust in the UK gambling industry.

Speaking at the UK Gambling Commission’s annual raising standards conference, McArthur asked firms to to put customers, their enjoyment and their safety at the top of their agenda.

He said: “I want consumers in Britain to be able to enjoy the fairest and safest gambling in the world… and to achieve my aims I need your support: I need you to work together to make sure you are the best – the fairest, safest – gambling operators in the world.”

“This is a call to action to join the race to the top,” he said. “A race to put your customers, their enjoyment and their safety at the top of the agenda for your management meetings, your board meetings and meetings with your investors.

“A race to approach the minimum requirements we impose as exactly that: minimums not maximums. A race to look for real solutions to the public health issue of gambling related harm.”

McArthur told delegates he wanted gambling businesses to collaborate and focus on three areas – understanding the early signs which could indicate a customer is experiencing or developing problems, interacting with those customers to ensure they can receive support and advice, and rebuilding public trust by changing advertising strategies.

George Lusty, CMA senior director for consumer protection, called the changes made by operators a great start but said “much more needs to be done by the sector to win back customer trust”.