In a speech delivered at the Global Gaming Expo on October 10, Tim Miller, the executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, highlighted the crucial need for international cooperation among gambling regulators and said the UKGC is finalizing several Memoranda of Understanding with US regulators to advance these efforts.
Miller emphasized that such collaboration on a global scale would bolster their collective impact and create a safer environment for customers by eliminating illegal gambling. The focus on customer protection was a significant driving force behind the UK’s Gambling Act review white paper, which was released in April this year.
Miller stated: “The collective voice of gambling regulators across the globe pressuring big tech companies, banks, and even some other jurisdictions to address the role they play in facilitating illegal gambling will be much harder to ignore.”
He emphasized that working together to make gambling safer, fairer, and free from criminal involvement was a central objective of the UK government’s Gambling Act Review white paper. Following the release of the white paper, Miller noted that the Gambling Commission would have limited scope to consider policies not included in the white paper in the coming years.
The white paper presented over 60 recommendations for the industry, and the first round of consultations, which began in July, is set to close on October 18. These consultations revolve around topics such as financial risk and vulnerability, online game design, consumer choice in direct marketing, and enhancing age verification in land-based premises.
Miller stressed that regulations significantly vary by jurisdiction, making it possible for an operator to be legal in one market while being illegal in another. The more gambling regulators understand each other’s rules, standards, and markets, the more they can share information and best practices to increase their effectiveness.
This collaboration, Miller noted, would make it harder for uncooperative operators to circumvent regulations and would make it more likely they face difficult questions in their home jurisdiction if they act poorly elsewhere.
Miller also remarked on the success the Gambling Commission has had in the last year through collaborations with industry tools and services to combat illegal gambling. This cooperation resulted in a substantial reduction in traffic to the largest illegal sites targeting the British market. Miller emphasized the importance of such joint efforts with payment providers, internet search providers and product and games developers.
Enforcement measures
Elsewhere in his speech, Miller also discussed enforcement measures undertaken by the UKGC in the financial year of 2022/23. During that period, the regulator handled four enforcement cases against operators, resulting in fines exceeding $73.2 million (£60 million) due to regulatory failures.
Miller said: “Operators are taking note. One leading operator recently told us from their research that nine out of ten of the largest enforcement penalties worldwide and 85 percent of all enforcement action in gambling worldwide have been carried out by the UK Gambling Commission.”
The Gambling Commission carried out significant enforcement actions in the last year, including imposing substantial fines on companies like Entain and William Hill. While these actions indicated a strong regulatory stance, Miller underscored that the intention was not to boast but rather to highlight instances where something within the industry had gone wrong.
Miller concluded by recognizing that progress is happening at the national level, but he stressed again that the global nature of the gambling business necessitates regulators’ collaboration.
He pointed out that as more North American jurisdictions open up to online gambling or sports betting, large British and European operators are seeking to establish themselves in these markets, making international collaboration among gambling regulators crucial.
