Regulus Partners’ Dan Waugh has expressed significant concerns over the mandate and funding of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparity (OHID), which he described as a prohibitionist department.
At the time of the OHID appointment, Waugh raised concerns over the intent of the department – suggesting that they had touted developing ‘tobacco-style’ plain packaging for gambling, including no colours, images or logos on any gambling products.
Speaking to iGaming Expert at the Deal Me Out conference, he stated: “That’s a clear statement of prohibitionist intent. So we should be very worried that they have been given a mandate and pot of money to go out and pursue this.”
Waugh was also scathing of OHID’s previous research into gambling, describing the department as having “low standards of quality and arguably low ethics in producing statistics on serious matters like suicide, with no real care or attention to what people might think is accurate”.
He did state that the ability to scrutinise OHID, given that the organisation is a public body, is a positive step for the future of the industry.
Third sector funding under threat
He also warned that the sweeping regulatory changes and the introduction of a Statutory Levy on the research, education and treatment of problem gambling could throw the vital third sector into “complete uncertainty.”
Under previous frameworks, funded largely by voluntary operator contributions, the third sector provided around 85% of safer gambling support, however, Waugh issued the stark warning that the new measures are at risk of completely ‘destabilising’ treatment in the UK.
It is currently unclear as to the level of funding safer gambling organisations, such as GambleAware and Gordon Moody, can expect to receive from the £100m+ of annual industry contributions.
However, it is vital according to Waugh that they aren’t left behind as a result of the major reforms.
Commencing in April, operators will now be required to contribute to the RET Levy, with contributions based on a percentage of gross gambling yield. Additionally, the NHS will be installed as the primary commissioner of the funding.
Waugh stated: “They are now being thrown into complete uncertainty about whether they’re going to be able to carry on operating because they will have to apply to the NHS for the money that used to come direct to them under the voluntary system.
“They are also being told that they cannot go out and receive their traditional funding from gambling operators. So the idea seems to be to make them dependent upon the NHS with no certainty about whether they’ll get any money out of the NHS.”
20% of RET Levy funding will focus on establishing a bespoke Research Programme on Gambling, and a further 30% will be spent on developing a comprehensive approach to prevention and early intervention.
The final 50% will be earmarked for commissioning treatment and support services, led by NHS England.
