The All-Party Parliamentary Betting & Gaming Group (APBGG) has extended its inquiry, examining the competencies of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) as the regulatory body of British gambling. 

The decision follows significant evidence submitted to the group, outlining the seriousness of alleged failings by the UKGC governing the gambling sector.

The APBGG launched its inquiry following industry concerns that the UKGC failings had not been highlighted by reports sanctioned by the Public Accounts Committee, National Audit Office and House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry in 2020.

The group will submit its evidence to DCMS review of the 2005 Gambling Act, in which it outlined that the UKGC negligence in the collapse of Football Index had further compounded its view “that the regulator was definitely not as world beating as it likes to claim”.

Extending its inquiry until 1 December, the APBGG has invited licensed operators to submit evidence of the Commission breaching its use of regulatory powers and the code of conduct applied by the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006.

Of note,  the APBGG seeks feedback on instances where the Commission provided a poor level of service that brings into question its ability to function as a regulatory agency.

Once complete, the report will be forwarded to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the government department responsible for the oversight of British industry regulators.

APBGG confirmed that UKGC Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes has agreed to attend an invited industry audience meeting of the Group to respond to report findings.

“We have been shocked by two things since we launched this investigation, the sheer scale and severity of evidence that has been submitted to us and the abject terror that the industry has of recriminations by the regulator.” –  Read a statement by Scott Benton MP, Co-Chair of the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have submitted evidence of what is showing to be numerous examples of often incredibly tortuous, arbitrary and expensive dealings with the UKGC and reiterate our promise of absolute anonymity to any remaining operators or advisors to submit their experiences without any fear of retribution. As a Group we stand wholeheartedly behind the British gambling industry’s desire to be well regulated by a competent and fair regulator.”