GVC Holdings chief executive Kenny Alexander says the gambling industry must do more to increase public awareness of sophisticated problem gambling controls that have already been implemented.
Responding to the House of Lords committee report published today, the Ladbrokes Coral boss highlighted his a national poll showing that nearly 80 per cent of regular gamblers in Britain see betting as part of the leisure industry, with a clear two-thirds of respondents supporting an individual’s freedom of choice to gamble.
While welcoming the committee's report as a “thoughtful and measured” contribution to the debate over gambling regulation, Alexander also stated that there is a pressing need for far more research into the hot topic of problem gambling.
He said: “I’m glad to see detailed recommendations for a triennial review of the Gambling Commission, the licensing of affiliates, and the need for more research into problem gambling – particularly as claims around the scale of the issue frequently bear no resemblance at all to the independent research already available.
“As a socially responsible business, GVC is committed to constantly improving our player protection policies. We have already adopted several of the measures recommended in this report and there are others that we would like to see implemented across the industry.
“I am however concerned by the findings of our own research which highlights the lack of awareness amongst the general public of the numerous and sophisticated tools GVC and the industry have introduced to put control where it belongs: in the hands of our customers.
“We have to do a better job of communicating that, because those who are implacably opposed to gambling as a matter of principle are actively seeking to damage the industry through onerous regulation, which will ultimately drive customers into the hands of the unregulated black market. It is important that all stakeholders work together to keep gambling effectively regulated for all parties.”
