Tracey Crouch the UK Minister for Culture, Media & Sports has expressed her disappointment at industry body the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) failure to attend last week’s ‘Commons All Party Group on Fixed-odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs)’.
The Commons meeting was set-up to discuss current UK regulatory provisions for FOBTs and potential plans to further restrict TV advertising for gambling and sports betting services and products.
Crouch detailed to UK media, that as an industry representative the ABB has ‘missed an opportunity’ to state its concerns regarding changes to UK gambling legislations. Her comments were backed by UK Gambling Commission Chief Executive Sarah Harrison.
This September, the UK gambling sector was surprised as the government confirmed a new regulatory review into FOBTs and industry advertising and marketing standards.
Updating the market, government officials stated that they would review adding further wagering limits to FOBTs and potentially implement a 9pm UK watershed ban on sports betting advertising.
Explaining its actions, the ABB stated its saw ‘no value in providing evidence to the group’. The industry body further criticized the all-party group of bias and being a ‘kangaroo court’, stating that the groups position on the matter had already been ‘pre-determined’.
“The All Party Group is a club of anti-betting shop MPs, funded by amusement arcades and casinos with commercial interest in attacking betting shops.” Declared the ABB.
Source: SBC News
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