No leadership, no evidence – how did the Commission decide on affordability checks? 

Questions have been raised over the direction of the Gambling Commission (GC) in the UK, as it is accused of ignoring any research in its pursuit of stringent affordability checks, or financial risk assessments, depending on which side of the coin you sit.

Peter Marcus, a former Global Head of Gaming Operations for Entain, revealed that he was part of the process during the early stages of the new approach to affordability and stated it was clear that these things were simply unworkable.

He warned that since the departure of Andrew Rhodesas Chief Executive Officer, the GC has essentially stopped listening to industry and to research, marching ahead with a wilful ignorance of the consequences.

Marcus suggested that Rhodes and the GC, under his leadership, had a grasp on the severity of getting affordability checks wrong. However, he now believes that the last two years of research have been ‘a waste of time, as the commission has just pushed ahead regardless’.

There was support ..