NatCen, in collaboration with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Gambling Commission, has been tasked with reviewing the Gambling Act in the UK. The goal of the Gambling Act Review, which was initiated in the year 2020, is to determine whether or not there is a need for regulatory modifications since the Gambling Act was passed in the year 2005.
The focus of NatCen’s review is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Gambling Act Review in mitigating gambling-related harm. This assessment will look at how consumer choice and freedom are balanced with protecting vulnerable populations and groups. On top of that, it will determine if the safety precautions taken by gaming establishments are decent.
By working with DCMS and the Gambling Commission, NatCen will establish a Theory of Change (ToC) that will direct the review process. Document analysis will back up this ToC, and it will serve as the cornerstone of an all-encompassing assessment strategy that details actionable suggestions for carrying out the review.
A Long Time Coming
The review is a reaction to the growing comprehension of the negative effects of gambling over the past decade. It is the mission of NatCen to propose practicable ideas and suggestions that may be put into practice to successfully alleviate these problems.
Recently, a new Centre for Gaming Research was established at NatCen to study the gaming sector from a variety of angles. With the guidance of Sokratis Dinos, Director of Health, and Mari Toomse-Smith, Director of Health and Biomedical Surveys, the center will work with public stakeholders, service providers, industry regulators, and industry experts to influence policy choices.
The new center will concentrate on several important topics, including the investigation of the prevalence of gambling, the comprehension of behaviors connected with gambling, and the identification of risk profiles linked to gambling-related damage and stigma. This makes the new development even more impactful considering the organization’s reputation and expertise.
Dinos enthusiastically pointed out the continuing partnership between NatCen and the Gambling Commission on the Gambling Survey of Great Britain, which will give important data on gambling prevalence and involvement, with the first report expected to be published in Spring 2024. Guy Goodwin, Chief Executive of NatCen, also highlighted the importance of the Centre for Gambling Research, highlighting the wealth of information and experience that NatCen offers.
Most of the review measures are expected to be in place by the summer of 2024, and they will have the greatest impact on UK-licensed online gaming firms. Quickly reshaping their safer gambling (“SG”) and anti-money laundering (“AML”) systems, people, and technology is essential if they want to be prepared.
