Foreword
Michael Dugher Betting and Gaming Council CEO
The Betting and Gaming Council was founded to bring the regulated industry together, to raise standards and drive big changes, but also to help the industry become more outward looking and proud of the contribution we make to every corner of the U.K.
We want to build a world class industry that is better understood, respected, responsible and a fully engaged member of the communities in which we operate - with people at the core of everything we do.
It’s an industry which provides a lifeline for great British sport - £350m into horse racing, £40m into the English Football League and £12.5m into snooker, darts and rugby league.
That’s why we are proud to work with the Purpose Coalition on the Levelling Up Goals. We are fortunate to champion diverse members, big and small, from global companies to family businesses, across a range of sectors.
And much of this incredible work goes on outside of London.
This report tells the story of a great British business success story. Here in the UK our members have pioneered the world’s largest betting and gaming companies which are at the forefront of entertainment and technology development. But we are also ambitious for the future. We are committed to supporting U.K. plc for the long term, and you cannot do that until you have measured your progress and identified where you can go further. This report helps us to do that. Betting and gaming is already a hugely popular leisure activity in Britain. Some 22.5 million adults in the UK, from every conceivable background, each month play the lottery, enjoy a game of bingo or a day at the races, play casino games or have a bet on football and other sports. In the year before the pandemic hit the economy, the regulated betting and gaming industry supported 119,000 jobs, generated £4.5bn in tax and contributed £7.7bn to the economy. Ministers shouldn’t do anything that puts any of this at risk in the future. 06
Foreword - Michael Dugher
Nearly two thirds of jobs are based outside the capital with nearly 20,000 in the West Midlands alone. Other high employment areas include Yorkshire and Humber, where over 10,000 people are employed, and in the North West and North East, where a combined 16,000 people are employed.
All of these ventures provide a multitude of opportunities to achieve high skilled, wellpaid jobs in retail, hospitality and tech. But one thing is common to every role: everyone in our industry is committed to championing safer gambling. Problem gambling rates in the U.K. are low by international comparisons and we are encouraged by the latest figures from the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission, which found rates of problem gambling have fallen to 0.2 per cent, a drop from 0.6 per cent 18 months ago. There’s always more that we can do, but that positive trend is due, in no small part, to the huge efforts of countless staff who are trained to spot concerns and intervene in real time.
And our members are investing in those workforces while developing bold plans for the future. Between now and 2025, our sector is on track to create a further 15,000 tech jobs, underlining the genuine ambition to deliver opportunity and prosperity wherever our members are based. This comes alongside a pledge to create a total of 5,000 apprenticeships for young people looking to work in the industry.
We all know that the Covid pandemic has hit our economy for six. The betting and gaming industry is determined to play our part in helping Britain build back better. And the Government’s levelling up agenda is central to that. We know talent is everywhere, but sadly opportunity is not. Wasting talent is not just a crying shame for those individuals, it also disadvantages businesses if they miss out on the best.
Our members are supporting Britain’s hard-pressed high streets through modern betting shops and much-loved bingo halls. We’re supporting the UK’s hospitality, tourism and leisure industry through our casinos. And we are a major component of world leading British tech, where our members have founded tech powerhouses in places like Stoke and Leeds.
The Purpose Coalition has given the BGC a framework to help further deliver meaningful and measurable progress, We are excited to play our part in Levelling Up equality of opportunity, investment and skills - across the nation on behalf of our members and their customers. Foreword - Michael Dugher
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