Until this year, the gambling industry in the United Kingdom was asked to
provide funding to the problem gambling charity R.I.G.T (Responsibility in
Gambling Trust) on a voluntary basis, as long as the sum collected annually met
the needs of the group.
However, for the past few years, not enough funds were collected, leading to
threats by the Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe to turn the 'voluntary' status
into a 'mandatory' one. Essentially, this would mean that gambling operators
would be forced to pay a certain percentage into R.I.G.T coffers each
year.
Gerry Sutcliffe published a consultation document this week which many see as
a first step towards making the contribution mandatory, forcing operators to
contribute a global sum. Sutcliffe wants to see R.I.G.T earn £5.3 million in
2009/2010 and 7 million in 2011/2012.
Sutcliffe did not finalize his decision in the consultation however. "If the
industry can agree on the improved voluntary arrangements in the meantime, the
door is not closed," he said, "but time has almost run out."
In the meantime, larger companies, which traditionally finance the
contributions to R.I.G.T, said that they hoped an agreement could be reached,
instead of having the process made compulsory. "We would like to see it continue
as a voluntary system and will continue to work to achieve that," said a
spokesperson from Ladbrokes, "but we accept that a statutory system may well
come into place."
Ladbrokes also spoke about the fairness issue of the fund. "We're more than
happy to pay our fair share and maybe even a bit more," said the company, "but
not to the extent that we're massively subsidizing our competitors."
