London, England, June 2016– The Officers of the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group are very impressed with the resounding success of their Future of Gambling seminar series and are certain that the last seminar, The Future Of Research, Education & Treatment Into Problem Gambling to be held on Tuesday 5th July 2016 will be equally well received with a topic that applies to the whole industry. The speakers will be Marc Etches, CEO, Responsible Gambling Trust, Lee Willows, CEO, YGAM (Young Gamblers Education Trust), Elaine Smethurst, Managing Director, Gordon Moody Association and Wanda Goldwag, Chair, Senet Group. Steve Donoughue, gambling consultant and Secretariat of the All Party Betting & Gaming Group said:
Problem gambling rates have remained pretty stable since they were first researched on a national level in 2007. This would appear to verify the belief that the problem is mostly centred with the individual, rather than the specific gambling devices or locations. That is not to say they don’t have an impact, just that if they were major factors we would have seen a far bigger increase over the last decade as the industry has grown. This is obviously not a cause for complacency and the industry has been involved in ever greater efforts to prevent problem gambling. We have also seen the evolution of the charitable sector as they increased their efforts in treatment and with the creation of YGAM, education is now being delivered. Quality research answering the big questions of how and why does seem to still be needed though.
For the first time the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group is allowing the invited guests from the industry to attend its meetings and join with the Captains of their industry in the debating what the future of gambling in Britain is. If you wish to attend one of the seminars please contact the Secretariat of the APBGG, Steve Donoughue at [email protected]. Lee Willows, CEO of YGAM, the Youth Gamblers Education Trust and key speaker stated:
The YGAM team and I looking forward to attending and contributing to the APG seminar; The Future of Research, Education & Treatment into Problem Gambling. As a newly established, UK-Registered Charity, YGAM has a single focus to minimise gambling-related harm among young people via PSHE education in schools, colleges, universities and local community groups. No other organisation in the UK delivers a fully accredited and PSHE Association quality-assured programme of this kind.
We look forward to specifically sharing with members where we see the future of preventative education in the UK, based on our learning to date. Over 90% of schools and colleges deliver PSHE education, but less than 1% cover anything in their curriculum around gambling-related harm. We want to shine a spot light on this area and over the next couple of years work to position this education as mainstream for young people, as is sex education or education around responsible drinking. The APG seminar provides a perfect opportunity for us to share our vison and I commend the members for all their work in this area and for leading the debate with such a forward thinking seminar series.
The mission statement of the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group is ‘To act as a forum for the discussion of issues concerning betting and gaming in the UK’. This seminar series is aimed specifically at providing the platform for an educated and informed exchange of views and issues.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Steve Donoughue at 0207 502 2067 or email at [email protected].
Information about the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group can be found at www.apbgg.org andhttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/betting-and-gaming.htm
The schedule for the Seminar Series is:
The Future of Online Gambling
Tuesday 19th April 2016, 1.30pm-3.30pm, Macmillan Suite, Portcullis House
• Clive Hawkswood, CEO, Remote Gambling Association (RGA)
• Anthony Werkman, Director of Marketing & Operations, Betway
• Richard Flint, CEO, Sky Betting & Gaming
The Future of Betting Shops
Tuesday 26th April 2016, 4pm-6pm, Dining Room A, Palace of Westminster
• Malcolm George, CEO, Association of British Bookmakers (ABB)
• Andrew Lyman, Director of Group Regulatory Affairs, William Hill
• John Heaton, Chairman, Scotbet
The Future of Casinos
Monday 23rd May 2016, 3.30pm-5.30pm, Macmillan Suite, Portcullis House
• Simon Thomas, CEO, Hippodrome Casino
• Richard Noble, COO, Aspers Casino
• Henry Birch, CEO, Rank Group
The Future of Gaming Machines
Tuesday 7th June 2016, 4pm-6pm, Churchill Room, Palace of Westminster
• John White, CEO, British Amusement and Catering Trades Association (BACTA)
• Simon Dorsen, Senior Director for Europe, IGT
• TBC
The Future of Research, Education & Treatment into Problem Gambling
Tuesday 5th July 2016, 4pm-6pm, Churchill Room, Palace of Westminster
• Marc Etches, CEO, Responsible Gambling Trust
• Lee Willows, CEO, YGAM (Young Gamblers Education Trust)
• Elaine Smethurst, Managing Director, Gordon Moody Association
• Wanda Goldwag, Chair, Senet Group
This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. Groups are informal groups of Members of Both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this document are those of the Group alone.
