Anti-gambling hardliners can't self-isolate themselves from the facts: See article today in the ⁦ @RacingPost⁩ by our CEO ⁦ @MichaelDugher⁩ https://www.racingpost.com/news/anti-gambling-hardliners-cant-self-isolate-themselves-from-the-facts/431352

Far from “cashing in”, UK gambling revenues are down dramatically – by 50-60% according to initial reports from our members (equivalent to a drop in gambling by UK adults of £100m per week). @MichaelDugher: As gambling plummets, “this means less revenue. It's not rocket science”

CEO @MichaelDugher: “Levels of gambling are down markedly, but I understand worries about people self-isolating, stuck at home, anxious or simply bored. That's why our industry has stepped up safer gambling measures as Britain went into lockdown” https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/news/10pledges-safergambling/

Includes more safer gambling messages to customers & more interventions if customers increase time/spend beyond normal pre-crisis patterns. We’re promoting deposit limits, acting to ensure responsible advertising + intervening to restrict/block accounts if there is a risk of harm

. @MichaelDugher: “If opponents of gambling are serious about protecting customers, they should also focus efforts on black market firms. Illegal online operators take £1.4 billion from UK punters every year & don't sign up to any standards that govern BGC's regulated members”.

. @MichaelDugher on black market online gambling operators: “They are not signing up to strict advertising standards or verifying people's ages or intervening on customers who get into the difficulty. Yet where is the moral outrage or call for action from (anti-betting) critics?”

CEO @MichaelDugher: “BGC are driving big changes across industry. Many people have genuine concerns & it's important we address them. But hardline prohibitionists, sadly using Covid to grab headlines, can't self-isolate themselves forever from the facts”. https://www.racingpost.com/news/anti-gambling-hardliners-cant-self-isolate-themselves-from-the-facts/431352