Editor's Page
Like many others in the Gambling world, The Bingo Association shared more than a passing interest in the 2015 General Election. With several political Parties touching on the proliferation of B2 machines in bookmakers in their manifestos, the configuration of the next government could have had a massive impact on the Industry. Now the dust has settled there appears to be a degree of relief leading to optimism following the election of a Conservative majority government. The Bingo Association will always be grateful to the last Government for reducing Bingo Duty in 2014 and was pleased to see supporters of Bingo such as Rob Halfon, and Thérèse Coffey feature in the post-election shake up. On the other hand Bingo has always enjoyed cross-party support and it was also good to see some supporters of Bingo reappear on the opposition benches. For the Bingo Association there are two key questions to be asked of new appointees, John Whittingdale Secretary of State for the Department of Culture Media and Sport and Tracey Crouch MP as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Tourism who will assume the responsibility for gambling. The first question: will it be business as usual, attempting to regulate Bingo as part of a 'one size fits all' approach to the Gambling Industry via the Gambling Commission, or will there be the 'proportionate and risk based approach' so often quoted by the government and regulator, but in reality rarely in evidence? The second question is: to what extent will any measures taken by the regulator in response to specific issues result in unintended consequences for operators in the sector? Whilst we wait for the answers to these questions, it is important to carry on with what has already been planned. The Bingo Association's Code of Conduct is supported by the operators of over 500 Licensed Bingo Premises as it has become a condition of membership for 2015 and beyond. We need to make the code 'come alive' and many of the initiatives are either happening or are well advanced. The Bingo Association is at the early stages of commissioning its own research through RGT on Problem Gambling Behaviours In Licensed Bingo Premises. The scope of the research should be agreed in the next month and early headline output could be available for release at the Bingo Association at the AGM in April 2016. The Bingo Association believes strongly in controlling its own agenda with regard to Social Responsibility and Harm prevention. In other words, the Bingo Industry does not want to rely on the fall-out from others. The Association is confident that this research programme will demonstrate that Licenced Bingo is benign from a problem gambling perspective, but whatever the results, it will give the Industry the facts and evidence to take action if required to ensure that it stays that way or to address more serious issues. Miles Baron
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