Peter Cox, managing director of Gamcare said: "In the last week or so there has been considerable publicity about the growth of gambling in UK in recent years.  How accurate the figures may be is somewhat debatable.  Be that as it may because there is undoubtedly a clear perception that gambling has increased and will continue to do so.  There are more gambling opportunities than ever before for the public to indulge in fuelling the the perception of the increase.  The Gambling Bill is not yet in place so Bill or no Bill gambling is rising.

As long as clear social responsibility measures and their eventual strict adherence remain the priority in the proposed Bill, the UK public will be better protected with the Bill going through.  It would be a huge waste of time, energy and money if, after such a thorough scrutiny process over the last year, the Bill somehow drifted away or was put on ice.  It is not for a charity like GamCare, whose purpose is to help the public, to comment whether the Bill going through may be good or not for gambling operators but we do believe the UK public deserve to see the benefits of the Bill process converted into legislative measures that will give them real protection wherever they may chose to gamble.  

Stakeholder Response: Casino Operators Association

Brian Lemon of the Casino Operators Association said: "The legislative programming committee will be considering a Draft Gambling Bill that is highly controversial, biased and flawed.  It will deservedly generate much heat and debate and needs significant redrafting because it is being rushed along to meet one major criterion - to attract American, Australian and South African inward investment by permitting substantial numbers of casinos of a size and style never before seen in this country.  Such casinos also need a reduction in the control and style of regulation, the laxity of which when compared to the traditional, well regulated and disciplined current industry will undoubtedly generate a new level of problem gambling, particularly in gaming machine play. 

"The impact of the Draft Bill would be to decimate not only the UK casino industry, but also to have severe repercussions on other gambling, entertainment and leisure activities.  The sought-after “planning gains” as well as hoped-for job creation and inward investment capital will be seriously offset across the communities by the failure of hundreds of small businesses - pubs and clubs, bingo halls, arcades and restaurants together with their supporting supply industries.

"Various experts in the field have put forward estimates on the increase in problem gambling that will undoubtedly occur, against which the government has no evidence to support its dismissive line (at one time claiming that “they did not start from the premise that there would be an increase in problem gambling”).  Pure farce if it were not so serious.  The government is seeking to permit walk-in-off-the-street entry to Regional casinos with no hindrance save age.  ID - the cornerstone of safe, British casino operations - to be swept aside by circumnavigating money laundering requirements which where expected to replace the removal of membership requirements as an effective substitute.   ID should be required on entry to the casino.

The cry that other countries allow such operations is not reason enough to introduce them in Britain, especially in such an ill-prepared and under-researched and under-funded fashion.  So much of the Draft Bill is dependent on the as yet non-existent Gambling Commission providing a level and quality of control across a greatly expanded gambling estate.  The Guidelines and policy are not properly available for Parliament to consider and thus both Houses will in effect be asked to agree to something which they cannot even define.

"Comment has been made that this Draft Bill is the product of four years of consultation, Reviews, Committees, policy statements et al.  This is not really the case.  Eighteen months ago the sudden injection of the possibility of American-style casinos with their accompanying inward investment, broached by ODPM, turned the previous consultation on its head.  We now see a government hell-bent on attracting inward investment at whatever cost, be it economic, social or even moral.

"Such huge change needs a much more considered approach.  There are other elements of the Draft Bill that do genuinely need urgent attention, such as dealing with internet gambling and the control and direction of technology and innovation.  These should be put in their own Bill or Bills, and should not be held back by trying to include them in an omnibus Draft Bill which is fraught with controversy, lacking in detail upon which to make sound judgements and grossly biased in favour of foreign companies.

"Government is trying to put forward ill considered legislation which will further fuel growing public concern with the excesses caused by lack of control in the general leisure industry, a concern that the British Casino industry has never in recent years endured. 

"The COA(UK) is proud of the industry reputation for probity and quality of operations.  It seeks change and progress, but not under these conditions.  We believe that both Houses will agree and demand a searching, in depth evaluation. "

Stakeholder Response: Bingo Association