Bacta will be fighting hard to maintain the voluntary system for this and will seek support from other associations and work closely with RIGT.
Following the publication of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 20071 (the Prevalence Survey), which found that rates of problem gambling had remained at 0.6% of the adult population since the last survey in 1999, the government asked the Gambling Commission to undertake a review of the current voluntary arrangements for industry funding of gambling research, public education and treatment and to report on this.
In a statement, DCMS Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said that, whilst the results of the survey showed that problem gambling still only affects a small minority of people, it remains a serious issue and one which must be addressed. The Minister also stated that the gambling industry has a responsibility to make the right level of funding available to treat those who are harmed by its products, and that the public should have ready access to the facts that they need to make informed choices about gambling, to help reduce the risks.
The Government has therefore asked the Commission to undertake a review of the current voluntary arrangements for industry funding of gambling research, public education and treatment and to report on this. This report will include comment on funding levels, how priorities are determined and the money spent, and whether a statutory levy should be considered.
The Commission undertook an initial consultation exercise which closed on 11 January, to gather views about the issues covered by the review and collect additional information about the current arrangements for research, education and treatment provision and organisational structures.
This second consultation paper seeks respondents’ views on a number of specific issues and options. These issues and options have been developed by the Commission and take into account the information provided by respondents to the first consultation paper, informal consultation with key stakeholders and input from two consultancies.
The Commission have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in the course of this review through individual meetings and by sharing information through the Industry and Community Liaison Groups. They will hold a second consultation workshop on 28 May 2008. The closing date for responses is Friday 1 August 2008.
The terms of reference for the review are:
a. to estimate the funding needed for each of research, education and treatment.
b. to identify the most appropriate organisational arrangements (including governance and management) for:
· distributing such funding
· the commissioning of research, education and treatment
c. to consider the merits of different methods of raising such funding. The Commission will report with their recommendations by 30 September 2008. In undertaking this review, the Commission will take account both of the current arrangements and of other relevant national and international models, and consider:
· the resources required to secure the:
o research needed in relation to all three licensing objectives but paying particular attention to the requirements in relation to reducing the risk of problem gambling
o education of the public in how to minimise their risk of problem gambling
o treatment of problem gamblers assuming, for this purpose, that such facilities are financed directly or indirectly by the industry
· the organisational arrangements for determining the priorities and content of the research, education and treatment programmes
· the commissioning and management of such programmes
· the accountability of those concerned with the commissioning and provision of such programmes
- the comparative merits of the current voluntary system for raising funds for problem gambling related research, education and treatment; and a statutory levy.
