UK Gambling Commission hosts Operator Engagement Forum at Birmingham’s ICC. (Image: Paul Weston / Alamy)

The Gambling Commission has hosted face-to-face sessions with gambling industry operators as a result of feedback from their 2023 Account Management Workshop.

The GC hosted an Operator Engagement Forum at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham two weeks ago, bringing operators together for insightful discussions, constructive conversations and to hear how the work at the Commission will impact their businesses in the coming months and years. 

A spokesperson for the GC said, “We were pleased to see so much representation on the day and want to thank everyone who attended for their time and for the fruitful feedback, which we will use to support compliance at the earliest opportunity and make gambling safer, fairer and crime free for all.” 

Supporting Compliance at Earliest Opportunity 

Speaking about the ICC event Director of Licensing Danielle Trigg who attended the event said: “The reason I'm here today is in response to the feedback that we got at the account management workshop last year. 

"The aim of today is support with communication, two-way collaboration and support with compliance at the earliest opportunity.” 

Ali Furlong from the Derby and Burton Hospital Charity said: “In my role as head of fund raising I was really keen to come today to meet some other people who work in the industry and have a chance to meet people from the Gambling Commission rather than it just being, visit the website, read the legislation, read the rules. It’s been really great.”  

Important for Those Who Want a Say in Future of Regulations

Another attendee, Ainsley Andrews from BetFred, said, “I'm here today because I think that unless you engage, then you don't get an opportunity to have any input into the future of gambling regulation. I get a lot from these events, the face-to-face time with people that I might not necessarily engage with on a day-to-day basis within the commission is always good. 

"I like to put faces to names for future engagements and also get to put my point across, sometimes candidly, in a way that isn't always so great in written form or even by remote messaging. So, I think for anyone that wants to have any say in the future direction of regulation in the UK, absolutely come along to these events and have your opinion heard.”