The gambling sector deserves greater recognition as a major economic driver – that’s the message from influential cross-industry group Business In Sport and Leisure.
Speaking ahead of this week's Gambling Working Group meeting at ICE, BISL chairman Chris Bell told InterGame the UK’s gaming industry needs to change both public and political opinion.
“There are essentially two broad challenges facing the UK gambling industry,” said Bell. “The first is to try and restore some balance to the political and media debate currently surrounding gambling and highlight the fact that this is an activity enjoyed by millions of adults across the country.
“We would also like policymakers to recognise the important role gambling plays within the wider leisure industry.”
BISL’s recent report on the State of the Leisure Industry, which was produced in conjunction with Oliver Wyman, showed that the sector employs as many as 100,000 people in the UK and generates in excess of £1.5bn in gaming duties for the Exchequer. This, said Bell, demonstrates that the gambling sector “can make a positive contribution towards the growth agenda.”
The organisation, which lists the likes of Aspers, Gala Coral and Praesepe among its members, is aiming to make the case for the leisure industry to ensure the government and other policymakers are aware of this contribution. The wider leisure sector employs approximately 2.6 million people – around nine per cent of total UK employment – and contributes £117bn in revenue to the economy.
Aside from BISL’s programme of meetings scheduled to coincide with the event, Bell was anticipating seeing the very best the industry had to offer during ICE.
“ICE is always an eagerly anticipated fixture in the gambling industry calendar,” he said. “It promises to be an ambitious, exciting and interesting event that presents operators with excellent opportunities to network and discover more about the latest products and innovations currently in development.”
