Gambling Commission’s Advisory Board for Safer Gambling to close
The Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) will be disbanded following the completion of its remit, according to the UK Gambling Commission.
Key points:
– ABSG to close following completion of its stated remit
– New research group to be set up for next phase of research and regulation
– The new group will support the expanded research made possible by the statutory levy
The UK Gambling Commission’s (GC) Advisory Board for Safer Gambling is to close, according to a new statement.
In time, it will be replaced by a new research-focused expert group to further the foundations that have been laid down by the ABSG.
The board began meeting as the ABSG in 2019, though it had been operational since 2008 under the name ‘Responsible Gambling Strategy Board.’
Around the time of the name change, the three-year National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms was launched, with the aim of making faster and better progress reducing gambling harms.
On reaching the end of this strategy in 2022, the ABSG continued to meet throughout 2023, and at the end of 2024, the group was expanded with the appointment of two new members: Dr. Virve Marionneau and Dr. Spencer Murch.
The idea at the time was to expand the scope of knowledge and to add a more international perspective.
Now however, the GC has decided the time is right to focus on new strategies and new programmes, particularly in light of the statutory levy and the new research opportunities that will arise as a result.
Good to know: The statutory levy gathered from gambling companies is being distributed by the Gambling Commission and therefore, research projects into reducing gambling harms will now, by and large, be answerable to the GC and DCMS
Andrew Rhodes, CEO of the GC, thanked all the current and former members, adding: “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.”
The GC has listed a number of key developments around gambling regulation that the ABSG played a part in, including: Recognition of harms as a public health issue, stressing the value of lived experience and supporting the introduction of the statutory levy.
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