The
Campaignprovided insight through our evidence-based collateral about the economic impact of FOBT gambling, the controversial introduction of FOBTs by the bookmakers and all the accumulated evidence of their addictive nature which has been published since.
We were also promoting
Newham Council's proposal under the Sustainable Communities Act, calling for FOBT stakes to be reduced to £2 per spin, which has received the full support of the
Campaign.
Meanwhile, the bookies and their PR people were handing out free cupcakes as an inducement to stop and listen to them. They handed out promotional material published by the new Senet Group, with no reference to the ABB on it, despite the fact that four corporate members of the ABB are behind it.
The Senet Group comprises only William Hill, Coral, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power - with no other bookmaker or sector so far willing to join. It would be interesting to learn if the small number of independent bookmakers who are members of the ABB plan to join the Senet Group and to share in the cost of a “watchdog”. Especially one set up to protect the corporate operators’ FOBT monopoly.
With the word “responsible” emblazoned on both the ABB’s cake and leaflet, it was apparent to attendees that there was a problem and something needed to be done to increase gambling responsibility. Many attendees perceived that the Senet Group was actually agreeing with our Campaign. Own goal #1!
Initial advertising of the Senet Group by the four bookmakers represented them as the “gambling industry”, as if they were representing all sectors of the industry. The other trade sector members which include bingo, casinos, arcades and online, are furious that the big bookies are implying that their sectors need to be more responsible when in many instances they are already leading the way. The bookmakers are increasingly viewed by the public as a toxic brand and other sectors simply do not want to be associated with them.
Even Betfred, which is not an ABB member, appears to have doubts and has not yet joined. Clive Efford, Labour’s shadow gambling spokesperson expressed concern at the lack of support for the Senet Group when he said it
“needs to cover the whole industry” and “must be completely independent of any influence from within the industry.”Own goal #2!
As to the official reaction, our sources are indicating that the administrative establishment staff at DCMS and the Gambling Commission are unhappy, as the Senet Group is implying that current social responsibility regulations are failing, an admission that neither DCMS nor the Commission has yet made. Own goal #3!
Helen Grant, the Minister in charge of gambling at DCMS, could not find time to stop and speak to us when walking past our booth at Conservative conference, even though her boss Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State, did. Despite saying in Parliament that she would listen to
problem gamblers, our understanding is that her diary has been too full to make time. Mrs Grant did find time, however, to tweet her support for the
Senet Group.
One member of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, Gerda Reith, has already spoken out
against the Senet Group, comparing it to the food and drink industry groups that try to place responsibility totally on the individual by presenting the veneer of a caring industry.
So who will fill the two independent lay positions and the independent Chair of Standards Commissioner at the Senet Group? Applicants or head hunted contenders might want to consider other recent trade initiatives.
A cross-sector gambling group was set up in July 2013 called P3, whose objective was to “
reducing gambling harm”. This group, Chaired by Russell Hoyle who is a “special partner” in Vitruvian, which owns one of the two UK FOBT suppliers, has since disappeared without trace.
Another body, the
Gambling Business Groupwas recently set up under the leadership of Nick Harding, who owns one of the UK’s largest adult gaming arcade operators. Not a public word has been uttered by Mr Harding on the subject of the Senet Group, nor in response to his company’s
proposals to split premises into betting shops in order to attain FOBTs.
This brings us back to the Senet Group. No amount of PR or wining and dining of politicians can get the bookies out of trouble on FOBTs. As Andrew Lyman of William Hill has pointed out in response to government proposals around planning changes – they are now being treated as a “pariah” along with pay day loan companies.
With the Campaign keeping the evidence score and the bookies fumbling PR own goals, it is only a matter of time before the whistle blows and it is game over for FOBTs. As shadow gambling minister Clive Efford has said, their “
days are numbered”.
Derek Webb, Campaign for Fairer Gambling