The Advisory Board for Safer Gambling will disband indefinitely. The board, created by the UK Gambling Commission will close and be replaced.
The UKGC confirmed this in a statement on 19 September. Replacing the ABSG will be a group focused on searching to ensure safe gambling based on facts. For years, the ABSG “[provided] independent advice to the Gambling Commission on issues related to safer gambling”.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said of the announcement: “ABSG has played an important role in shaping how we think about gambling harms, and embedding lived experience perspectives into regulation. I want to thank all current and former members for their contribution and commitment”.
He continued, “As we move into a new phase with the implementation of research programmes funded by the statutory levy, our priority is to ensure we have the right expert input to help inform our work. This is the right time to close ABSG and establish new arrangements that reflect the future needs of our gambling regulation and research.”
ABSG was known for its regular meetings, the body would give the Gambling Commission independent recommendations on how to reduce the harm of gambling. In its day-to-day operations, it would monitor programmes of gambling safe initiatives and make recommendations on strategy and future policies.
Essentially, the guidance would be based on facts and be impartial to any work of the Gambling Commission.
Is There Any Information About What Will Replace the ABSG?
At the moment, there is no name for the body that will replace the ABSG. Presumably, the new body will be an extension of work already completed by the ABSG. During its operation, the ABSG completed research that was crucial to several gambling regulation measures:
The ABSG helped shape policy by framing gambling harms as a public health issue, amplifying lived experience through the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP), and backing a statutory levy to fund independent research, education, and treatment.
What Could This Mean For The Future of UK Gambling Regulation?
While the UKGC has a large impact on the regulation of gambling in the UK, the disbanding of the ABSG is unlikely to change regulation in the UK. Because it is being replaced by another research group, we can only assume that the work of the ABSG will continue through experts.
Stricter regulatory measures could be suggested if experts think they would be beneficial, but that depends on the work the new body will focus on. The concerns that are raised by the ABSG going away are whether the impartial advice will continue, or it could be replaced by experts who want to crack down on the industry.
Until the UKGC provides us with more information, we cannot predict how this will affect the industry in the long term.
