BGC backs Gambling Ombudsman for customer complaints
UK standards association supports formation of new regulatory body to bring consistency to consumer complaints process
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has called on the UK government to establish a Gambling Ombudsman to deal with concerns raised by consumers.
The move comes as ministers deliberate over the Gambling Act 2005 Review, which was launched last December to explore how gambling regulation can be made “fit for the digital age”.
MPs are expected to produce a wide-ranging white paper on changes to the licensed UK gambling sector by the end of 2021 and the formation of an ombudsman, separate to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), is likely to be considered.
BGC chief executive Michael Dugher has thrown his support behind such a formation, insisting this provides further proof that the regulated industry is determined to drive up standards.
The trade body said an official Gambling Ombudsman would improve the pre-existing process for customer complaints and make it more consistent for those intending to raise concerns.
Dugher said: “We hope the government will look favourably on our calls for a Gambling Ombudsman to be established as soon as possible following the conclusion of the review, which we strongly support.
“The BGC and its members recognise the need for further change in our industry and a new Gambling Ombudsman would be a step forward in customer redress,” he added.
Dugher’s comments were supported by Conor Grant, CEO of Flutter Entertainment’s UK and Ireland division, which is a registered member of the standards body.
He said: “At the heart of our business is a focus on our customers – both delivering great entertainment and making sure that it is always underpinned by increasingly robust safer gambling practices.
“And true commitment to putting customers first also means making sure that they have somewhere independent to go if something does go amiss.
“That is why Flutter is fully behind the call from the BGC today for the government to include an ombudsman in its plans for reform of the gambling industry,” he added.
The UK’s financial services sector has had a dedicated, free-to-use ombudsman, the Financial Ombudsman Service, for more than two decades.