UK Deputy Leader: Problem gambling should be treated as "public health emergency"

[The Buzz]

UK Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said this week that problem gambling is "Britain's hidden epidemic" and should be treated as a "public health emergency" during a speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research in London on Thursday.

Regarding online gambling, Watson will call for the introduction of limits to spend, to stake and to speed to prevent customers placing large amounts on each bet and in rapid succession.

From BBC News:

"Whereas gambling in the offline world is highly regulated, the lack of controls on online gambling is leading to vulnerable consumers suffering huge losses," he said.

Online companies, he said, "have a responsibility to protect their customers from placing bets that they cannot afford. But too often, these operators have either neglected the care of their customers or have been too slow in their due diligence.

"We need to see a culture of limits introduced to internet gambling: a system of thresholds placed on the spend, stake and speed... that will give safeguards to consumers."

Under the plans, Labour would create a new category in the current legislation - which is the 2005 Gambling Act - specifically for online betting.

Mr Watson said he was launching a consultation to gather information about the relationship between gambling and online video games. Loot boxes - which contain virtual items which can be bought by players with cash - will be among the subjects covered in the review.

A spokesman for the Remote Gambling Association said: "We fully embrace the need to move faster to tackle problem gambling through effective regulation based on innovation, evidence and customer data and we are committed to working with the government and opposition to achieve that goal."

Read more here: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47395418

[Cash Bonus]

Saying that it’s a “public health emergency” is taking it a bit too far. Whoever wants to gamble should be able to gamble. Whether they choose to gamble responsibly or not is also entirely their choice as well as choosing to be in debt up to their eyeballs. Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. As long as they’re of legal age and abide by the rules, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

[e_abrams]

I am not against gambling when it's done by responsible adults, but a lot of these games containing loot boxes are played by minors who don't always fully understand what they're getting into, and I do think the system is unethical.