The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has increased its regulatory scrutiny of Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs) throughout this year. This was confirmed by UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes himself in his speech during amusements trade body Bacta’s Annual Convention in Leeds.
Rhodes confirmed that official communiques were sent out by the regulator to all licensed AGCs earlier this year, reminding them of obligations around self-exclusion.
Although not directly referenced, this move could’ve been prompted by an undercover BBC investigation published back in June where a reporter was allowed access to multiple AGC venues in South England despite self-excluding themselves prior to that.
At the time, John Bollom, then-President of Bacta, criticised the investigation for being “unrepresentative” of the land-based arcade sector that the organisation represents – words also echoed by Rhodes in his latest speech.
