While the new Gambling Policy Commission (GPC) has pledged to drive regulatory change in the UK, questions have emerged over its funding and links to prominent gambling reform campaigners.
Announced out of the blue yesterday (9 November), the organisation claims to have already launched a review of the UK’s legislative framework for gambling. It has pledged to challenge current regulations and champion a change in laws, based on the responses it receives from across the industry and further afield.
However, after digging a little deeper to understand who is funding and supporting the GPC, questions are being raised over its long-term direction.
The organisation’s financial backing comes from Derek Webb, an entrepreneur and prominent campaigner for gambling reform, whose previous efforts have focused on tightening restrictions on the industry. Webb was widely credited with playing a key role in the Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBT) stake cuts, and has since advocated for higher taxes on remote gambling.
