A new anti-gambling campaign has been launched by the local authority in Greater Manchester stating; “whatever the gambling product, whoever the gambling operator and whichever way you look at it, the Odds Are: They Win”.
Greater Manchester consists of the following local authorities: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.
Discarding all science, statistics and any semblance of reason, the campaign proudly claims to move beyond the narrative of responsible gambling – a narrative that has seen the problem gambling rate in the UK fall to its lowest ever levels. Instead, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its leader, mayor Andy Burnham, are promoting the prohibitionist approach and promising to shine a light on “harmful industry tactics”.
This, however, is already the job of the highly-funded Gambling Commission, which oversees one of the most developed and tightly regulated gambling markets in the world. It is also one of the most criticised markets – often by its own regulator – which has contributed to an ignorance about the industry by local authorities such as the GMCA.
This latest antigambling campaign is a manifestation of that ignorance, ignoring the fact that every single choice gamblers make – every chance they take – is spelled out to them as a clear percentage, fraction, or ratio.
Unfortunately, Burnham seems to believe his constituents are not able to make such choices for themselves, and instead has decided to attack all gambling operators – including those that pay the taxes that pays his wages.
“As an industry, the main aim of gambling operators is to maximise profits,” said Burnham, perhaps forgetting that, in a capitalist society such as the UK, this is the main aim for almost every company in every industry.The review of the Gambling Act is now well overdue, and the Government must take this opportunity to do more to protect our residents and people right across the country from the harmful practices of the gambling industry.”
The review, it has been repeatedly stated, will be evidence based, rather than fuelled by prohibitionist zeal. However, as it approaches, the anti-gambling coalition continues to increase its aggression towards the industry, pitting customers against local businesses and the local people that work there. For the politicians, it’s all words. But such vitriolic campaigns risk those aggressive words against the industry turning into aggressive actions – and any blood will be on the prohibitionist’s hands.
Unfortunately, that blood may well be jobs, business rates and high street footfall.
Misrepresentation of the facts and false data propogated by a zealous few could have significant impact on local families, communities and millions of the 99+ percent of gamers and gamblers in the country that are not deemed problem gamblers
