An MP has written to Britain’s biggest bookies, challenging them to support mandatory contributions from their profits to fund gambling addiction services.
It comes after the Sunday Mail revealed a voluntary scheme had failed to meet targets set by industry watchdogs.
We told how GambleAware collected just £9.6million – £400,000 short of its £10million goal – with major betting firms only handing over a tiny fraction of revenues.
Inverclyde MP Ronnie Cowan’s letter to Bet365, Ladbrokes, William Hill, BetFred and Paddy Power states: “As one of the big five bookmakers who operate in the United Kingdom, you have a responsibility to your customers to ensure gambling-related harm is minimised and those at risk supported.
“GambleAware, who are funded through the voluntary levy, have created two National Problem Gambling Clinics in England.
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“I am keen to see a similar clinic set up in Scotland.
“I would be grateful to know whether you support the introduction of a statutory levy to fund education, research, treatment and support relating to harm caused by gambling.”
Betting firms agreed to hand over 0.1 per cent of their revenues voluntarily when the industry was deregulated in 2005. The Sunday Mail revealed how Bet365, which made operating profits of £660.3million last year on a turnover of £2.86billion, donated just £868,000 to GambleAware.
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Ladbrokes Coral owner GVC paid in £1.46million on the back of an estimated £3billion revenue, while Paddy Power Betfair gave £445,000 after revenues of £1.74billion in 2017. William Hill, which made revenues of £1.6billion, gave £1million to GambleAware. When we contacted the firms, they all insisted they had met their charity obligations based on their UK revenues.
Cowan, who is vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on gambling-related harm, previously campaigned with the Sunday Mail for regulation of fixed-odds betting terminals. The machines were restricted to a £2 maximum bet earlier this year. He hopes to raise the issue of a mandatory levy on bookmaker profits in Parliament this week.
Cowan said: “It’s time for the UK Government to end opposition to a statutory levy and support the growing calls for more funding for education, treatment, research and support into gambling-related harm.”
GambleAware claimed funding requirements are likely to exceed £10million after 2020.
