UKGC Executive Director Tim Miller Issues Fresh Warning to Industry

Tim Miller, Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), has delivered a warning to industry leaders at a recent speech.

In his keynote address entitled “New normal, higher expectations” at the Know Now 2021 conference, Miller claimed the UKGC has risen to the hardships of pandemic life.

He began by outlining the Commission’s successes to keep gambling fairer and safer “in the face of once in a century challenges.”

Miller spoke at length about the measures the regulator had taken in the lead up to and during the pandemic, to address changing consumer behaviours.

He touched on the efforts the Commission has made online, especially those aimed at protecting children and young people from predatory advertisers such as age-gating content and the use of Ad-Tech.

Miller also discussed several new rules that will come into force on 31 October, including a cap on slot spin speeds in online games at 2.5 seconds, as well as banning auto-play.

However, Miller’s tone changed when he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to keeping crime out of gambling.

“With rapid changes in technology we know we need to be increasingly fleet of foot and may need a broader range of tools to tackle emerging risks.”

This focus on crime formed a large portion of Miller’s speech. In it, he addressed the dangers of black-market gambling and the efforts that have been made to curb the presence of money laundering in the industry.

In particular, Miller emphasised the need for compliance and cooperation from operators.

“When we talk about the results of our ramped-up compliance and enforcement action in recent years, the focus is often on the failings of operators to minimise the risk of harm. But just as often operators we take action against have failed to meet our standards to prevent money laundering as well.”

Miller ended on an optimistic note, acknowledging the difficulties of the past year and the need for the Commission to raise its own standards while looking forward to the future.

He concluded: “The last 18 months have been a period of profound challenge for everyone, including the Gambling Commission. But despite the turbulence that all of our lives have faced, the Commission’s objectives have remained the same. It has not diverted us away from the course of making gambling fairer, safer and crime free.”