Michael Dugher, the UK Gambling Commission’s chief, professed unfamiliarity with the contents of the government’s forthcoming gambling white paper.
In the course of the UKGC’s yearly assembly today, Entain’s Head of Public Affairs, Martin Le Jeune, inquired about circulating speculation regarding a mandatory contribution and the trajectory of GambleAware. Dugher clarified that even those privy to the internal mechanisms are unable to definitively state the white paper’s contents, referencing the numerous fluctuating elements at play.
Le Jeune referenced remarks made by Rob Davies and Tom Witherow on Twitter, who asserted they were “not entirely certain but fairly confident” that the white paper will incorporate a statutory levy in some capacity.
“We might have a considerable struggle ahead, partly due to the persistent fallacy, echoed by high-ranking officials, that we dictate GambleAware’s spending, which is simply untrue,” Le Jeune appended.
When Le Jeune questioned “what further actions we can take” to debunk this misconception and guarantee the veracity is communicated, Dugher retorted: “Frankly, I am unaware of the white paper’s contents upon its release.”
Listen, I’m not convinced anyone beyond a very, very small group truly understands the content of the policy document yet. Discussions are ongoing at the ministry level, and you can be certain it’ll face scrutiny from the entire government apparatus.
Therefore, and I don’t intend to downplay myself, but I’m unaware of its contents, and neither is Rob Davis. He and Tom are proponents, which is acceptable, they have their objectives and it’s a legitimate aspect of the dialogue.
However, let’s be candid about our positions. I’m transparent about representing the sector, and I believe advocates are open about representing their stakeholders, but let’s avoid pretending to be something we’re not.
Rob Davis hasn’t a hint about the policy document’s content. He’s likely spoken with individuals who might have an inkling of what they desire to see included and what could be contemplated, so it’s fair journalism. But let’s not be misled by the ‘we’re privy to the policy document’s content’ assertion, because I’m not, and they undoubtedly arent.”
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