Poll: How can the egaming industry improve its public image?

Last month saw the UK’s ‘big four’ operators unite to form a self-regulatory body aimed at promoting responsible gambling best practice in a move it said it hoped would address “public concerns”.

The Senet Group quartet of William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Gala Coral all agreed to halt the advertising of free bets on television prior to the 9pm watershed in order to protect those underage.

With a UK parliamentary election scheduled for next May, the formation of the group was seen by many as an attempt by the four operators to appease the growing anti-gambling movement stemming from the country’s media organisations and leading political parties.

However, some observers have accused the Senet Group’s measures of not going far enough while self-regulatory bodies can often be accused of, rightly or wrongly, looking after vested interests.

An alternative view is that the issue has been blown out of proportion and operators are being scrutinised unfairly as gambling grows into a more widely accepted recreational activity.

With this in mind, this week’s poll asks what else operators could do to alleviate the political and media pressure and improve the industry’s perception among the wider public.

Political heat is not limited to the UK, however, with countries such as Italy, Spain and Belgium, among others, all in the process of strengthening player protection measures and advertising guidelines.

One idea under consideration in Britain is the introduction of a universal opt-out scheme which would enable problem gamblers to shut-off access to online accounts at the click of a button.

Further measures on television advertising could also be introduced such as an all-encompassing ban on gambling advertisements during daytime hours while others have called for tighter restrictions on deposits and stakes.

What do you think the industry could do to improve its image?

Have your say on the right-hand side of the page.