Michael Dugher, the top dog at the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), remained tight-lipped about the UK government’s forthcoming report on gambling, stating he’s as uninformed as the next person.
Speaking at the BGC’s yearly gathering, Dugher was questioned by Entain’s public relations representative, Martin Le Jeune, about the speculation surrounding mandatory fees and GambleAware’s financing. Dugher maintained that even those in the loop are oblivious to the report’s particulars due to the multitude of factors at play. Le Jeune mentioned rumors from industry figures like Rob Davies and Tom Witherow, who believe a mandatory levy is a done deal, even if they can’t confirm it definitively. He also highlighted the persistent fallacy that the industry exerts undue influence over GambleAware’s spending, an allegation frequently echoed by high-ranking politicians. Le Jeune inquired about further measures to dispel this misconception and clarify the situation. Dugher, in turn, simply shrugged and replied, “I’m pleased to admit I’m unaware of the White Paper’s contents.”
See, I believe there are individuals aware of the precise situation who are unable to disclose the contents of the document because it remains under discussion at a ministry level, and as one might anticipate, the entire government is engaged in this matter.
Therefore, once more—and I’m not attempting to boast here—but I’m unfamiliar with the document’s contents, and neither is Rob Davies. He and Tom are sports correspondents, not political journalists. It’s entirely valid, they have their area of expertise, it’s a legitimate aspect of the conversation.
However, let’s be candid about our respective perspectives. Honestly, I advocate for the industry in this instance, and I believe activists are transparent about whom they represent, so let’s not feign to be something we’re not.
Rob Davies is utterly clueless about the contents of this document. He’ll have conversed with individuals who are privy to what they desire to be included and what’s being contemplated, so it’s legitimate journalism. But let’s not get carried away with this ‘we possess knowledge of the document’s contents’ narrative, because I don’t, and they certainly dont.”