Episode 73 - Interview With Andrew Rhodes. CEO of the UK Gambling Commission

The Smart Betting Club Podcast

In this episode, SBC Editor, Peter Ling is joined by the CEO of the Gambling Commission, Andrew Rhodes for an exclusive interview on some of the crucial issues facing the UK betting market.

With so many important topics on the agenda from affordability checks to open banking through to bookmaker behaviour and the black market, there was lots to discuss.

Andrew sought to set out the Gambling Commission's stance on each of these topics - many of which have been the focus of extensive criticism across the betting sector, including from us here at SBC.
All told it's a fascinating chat and provides insight into his organisations approach to regulating the very challenging UK betting market in 2024.
(00:00) Introduction
(01:34) What does the Gambling Commission do?
(04:15) Andrew's personal betting
(06:17) Affordability Checks and the current state of play
(08:59) Checks - are they frictionless or not? Who will be affected?
(12:55) Public criticism of the Affordability Checks and Andrew's reaction to it
(16:42) Horse racing and the impact that checks could have on it
(18:50) Why is clarity on Affordability Checks taking so long?
(22:10) Can bookmakers be trusted? Didn't they get us here?
(25:35) Open Banking and more obtrusive checks
(29:34) Why Andrew thinks Affordability Checks are a viable solution
(34:37) ADVERT Event announcement - SmartBash!
(37:12) Open banking and its place in the industry
(39:00) The black market, its scale and the Gambling Commission's plan to tackle it
(47:35) China and international lessons that we can learn about the unregulated market
(50:44) Bookmaker behaviour in the regulated market
(54:54) Licence conditions and operators' transparency
(59:11) Social media criticism of The Gambling Commission
(01:02:28) Restrictions and why it's not in the Gambling Commission's remit
(01:03:16) The 2020 survey results
(01:03:55) A shift in dialogue from the Gambling Commission moving forward?
Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/
• Gambling Commission: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/
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• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/