Poll results: Industry needs a responsible gambling levy
57% of readers believe operators should help fund treatment against gambling addiction
A small majority of EGR readers believes the gambling industry does need a responsible gambling levy.
Around 57% of poll voters agreed with the Labour party’s proposed tax that deputy party leader Tom Watson said would fund NHS treatment for gambling addiction.
Speaking at the Labour Brighton conference, Watson said the tax was a response to an alleged rise in problem gambling in the UK.
Although the widely discussed Gambling Commission report on the issue said the rate had remained statistically stable, EGR readers think operators should be obligated to fund gambling addiction treatments.
However, 43% of voters said the proposed tax would be just another unnecessary burden on the industry.
Remote Gambling Association CEO Clive Hawkswood said companies had “contributed faithfully for many years” to problem gambling focused charities such as GambleAware.
Internally, operators are also funding their own individual responsible gambling projects, with Kindred funding a problem gambling treatment app, Mr Green launching a self-assesment tool, and Sky Bet partnering with William Hill to find new ways to identify problem gambling behaviour.