TLDR:

• BGC launched its first International Best Practice Guide for online gambling regulation
• The guide examines regulatory approaches globally, focusing on consumer protection and market integrity
• Over 100 jurisdictions now offer online gaming, up from just a few in 1994
• A BGC study found 1.5 million UK residents gamble on illegal platforms, risking up to £4.3bn annually
• The guide aims to help policymakers create balanced regulations that protect consumers while avoiding unsafe alternatives

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has unveiled its first International Best Practice Guide, a comprehensive resource aimed at policymakers and online gaming operators worldwide.

Developed in collaboration with professional services firm Alvarez and Marsal (A&M), the guide provides a global overview of regulatory frameworks in the rapidly growing online gambling sector.

Since 1994, the online gaming industry has experienced significant expansion. What began with only a handful of jurisdictions offering online gaming has now grown to include over 100 regions involved in regulating the sector.

This growth has led to a diverse range of regulatory approaches, creating a complex landscape for both operators and policymakers to navigate.

The BGC’s guide outlines several core objectives that are common to regulators across the world. These include high channelisation (ensuring that gambling occurs within regulated markets), consumer protection (particularly for vulnerable groups and minors), preserving consumer choice, maintaining gambling-free crime, and raising tax revenue.

By comparing regulatory approaches from various jurisdictions, the guide aims to provide insights into the advantages and disadvantages of each method. This comparative analysis is designed to help policymakers create balanced regulations that protect consumers while avoiding the proliferation of unsafe gambling alternatives.

The launch of this guide comes at a crucial time for the industry. A study commissioned by the BGC revealed that 1.5 million people in the UK gamble on illegal platforms, placing up to £4.3 billion at stake each year.

This highlights the risks posed by unregulated gambling markets and underscores the need for effective regulation.

Grainne Hurst, BGC CEO, emphasized the importance of balanced regulation in achieving government priorities.

“Through effective regulation of this new growth sector, governments can achieve their core priorities of raising tax, boosting growth and jobs, while delivering high standards for player protection,” Hurst stated.

She pointed to the UK as an example where balanced regulations have created a sector that contributes significantly to the economy while supporting thousands of jobs.

The guide was officially launched by Hurst at the G2E conference in Las Vegas, offering policymakers and operators a detailed look at the various regulatory choices available to them.

It examines the lessons learned, both positive and negative, by operators and regulators around the world in the online gaming sector.

Pierre Tournier, BGC International Director, highlighted the guide’s role in addressing an evidence gap in policy-making. “The online gaming market is a complex landscape involving a huge range of potential regulatory choices and outcomes,” Tournier explained. “Our ambition for this new guide is that it finally offers a solution to that problem.”

Adam Rivers, A&M’s head of Betting and Gaming in EMEA, expressed pride in working with the BGC on this project. He emphasized the importance of effective regulation in ensuring the safe and effective functioning of gambling markets, supporting positive outcomes for regulators, operators, and consumers.

The BGC has been active in shaping gambling regulation, with its members contributing £105 million to the UK’s Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) in 2024. This follows the recent election of Simon Clare to the HBLB, further demonstrating the industry’s engagement with regulatory bodies.

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