Ahead of the changes to the gambling regulations in the UK, the country’s government launched a review of the Gambling Act 2005. Late in April last year, the White Paper following the review of the Gambling Act was released, marking the first major step toward the overhaul of the country’s gambling laws.
The review was initiated in order to determine ways the legislation needs to be improved considering the growing demand for online gambling activities and address concerns related to excessive gambling and harm. Besides considering changes to the marketing regulations for gambling products, the White Paper proposed the creation of a new Gambling Ombudsman, a body that would help strengthen consumer protection and play a key role in specific cases raised by gamblers against licensed operators.
Now, a year after the release of the White Paper, the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS) announced that it is ready to step into the Ombudsman role and help address issues raised by consumers and stakeholders within the regulated gambling market in the country. “We are ready to step into the Ombudsman role with a robust consumer-focused plan, pending the support of key stakeholders and agreement of an appropriate funding model,” explained IBAS in a statement.
The Independent Adjudicator Brings Decades of Experience
IBAS acknowledged that it has decades of experience as an independent adjudicator in the gambling sector. The company has helped resolve more than 90,000 customer complaints and it is trusted for its independence from the gambling sector. Additionally, IBAS said that its strategic experience makes it the perfect fit for the new independent body role of the Ombudsman that would deliver protection and help consumers resolve disputes, something that is currently unavailable within the market.
“The push for an Ombudsman signals a shared dedication to safeguarding consumers, addressing social responsibility and gambling harm concerns. With decades of experience as a trusted independent adjudicator in the gambling sector, IBAS is uniquely positioned to lend its expertise to establish a robust and independent body,“
wrote IBAS
According to IBAS, the establishment of a gambling Ombudsman is a significant step for the UK gambling sector that will ensure the protection of consumers and grant them access to methods for fair and impartial dispute resolution.
Recently, the House of Lords joined the debate about the potential changes to the country’s gambling ad rules. In the recent debate, MP Daniel Foster, spoke about the billions of pounds spent on gambling ads annually, highlighting the need for robust regulations.
