The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has notified the Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee of the “significant increase” in the misuse of statistics by various parties as the gambling debate continues. In a letter addressed to Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage, UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes expressed concerns that the misrepresentation of gambling data could undermine the important work of the Committee.
Misuse of Gambling Stats Unacceptable
Rhodes already tackled the issue in an article published on the Commission’s website last month where he condemned practices by some parties of attempting to twist the figures to suit their narrative. Writing to Dame Dinenage, Rhodes reiterated that it is utterly unacceptable to misuse statistics to support an argument or push an agenda.
Among the main concerns raised by Rhodes is the apparent conflation of data regarding problem gambling and gambling-related harm by certain groups. Additionally, some parties also compare the UK’s problem gambling rate with those of other countries, which the UKGC said should not be done as each country uses different methodologies when assessing the prevalence of problem gambling in their respective jurisdictions.
BGC’s Michael Dugher Among Those Mentioned in UKGC Letter
Rhodes’ letter includes a list of instances where gambling data may have been misrepresented deliberately or otherwise. Such examples involved prominent figures whose work focuses on the gambling industry and/or reforming the sector, including Michael Dugher, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), Will Prochaska of Gambling With Lives, and Wes Himes, Executive Director for Standards and Innovation at BGC.
