Disciplines
Gaming and Casino Operations Management | Gaming Law
Document Type
Original Review Article (Essays, Opinion Pieces, and/or Book Reviews)
Abstract
The convening of the Gambling Review Body (the ‘Review Body’), between 2000 and 2001 was the most recent attempt by the British Government to consider fully policy objectives for the operation of its licensed gambling market. It followed in a tradition of comprehensive Government-sponsored reviews of gambling (carried out in the twentieth century by Royal Commissions) approximately every 20 to 25 years. The publication of its report in 2001 had a strong influence on the drafting of the Gambling Act 2005 (the ‘2005 Act’), Britain’s principal piece of gambling legislation.
In 2019, Britain’s gambling laws are under review once more. The Labour Party (at the date of writing, the principal political party of Opposition) has set out plans for “a new Gambling Act that is fit for the digital age” ; while the House of Lords has approved a special inquiry committee on the “”Social and Economic consequences of the gambling industry ”.
Against this backdrop, there may be merit in revisiting Budd.
This essay considers two of the Budd Report’s key aims – the protection of vulnerable people and the protection of children[1]. It reviews those recommendations that were explicitly directed towards harm prevention; as well as a number of broader proposals which have clear relevance to the subject. This essay reviews Budd’s recommendations from 2001 against subsequent events – and in particular asks the question of whether the report contributed to the development of future regulatory problems and political controversies.
Funding Sources
Article not funded.
Competing Interests
Theauthors haveno conflictsofinterest to declareinrelation to this article. Consistent with the common standard for conflict of interest disclosure in addiction research, the following statement reports any potential conflicts of interest over the past 3years (dating from the month of submission). Authors have carried out funded work for government agencies, harm prevention charities, commercial gambling operators and investment firms.