The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently confirmed the departure of Tim Miller, its executive director of research and policy. As the executive prepares to leave the regulatory body, he has issued a warning to the UK gaming industry.
Miller: The Line Between Legal and Illegal Gaming Can Be Blurry
Speaking to NEXT.io representatives at the recent iGB Live event (July 1-2), Miller admitted that he has some concerns about the future of the industry. He said that he was particularly concerned about some legal gaming companies, including present iGB Live participants, saying that they are known to be engaged with the black market.
In his conversation with NEXT.io, Miller said that the presence of companies associated with the unlicensed sector shows that the line between licensed and illegal entities is not always very clear.
I think what it indicates is that we talk about the licensed market and the illegal market like they are two coexisting but completely separate entities, and that’s just not the reality. It is a very blurry line between the two of those.
Tim Miller
Miller, who’s been a staunch opponent of the encroaching gambling black market, has long accused tech giants of failing British customers by not doing enough to shield them from illegal gambling.
Speaking to NEXT.io, Miller emphasized that it is high time for tech companies to “pick a side.”
You cannot be using suppliers and affiliates that are also supporting the illegal market.
Tim Miller
The Black Market Is a Major Threat to UK Gaming
As mentioned, the UKGC just confirmed Miller’s exit from the regulatory body. With some 10 years with the regulatory body, Miller has developed strong opinions about the state of the gaming sector and its future. He has, for example, long promoted cross-industry collaboration against the black market, which he considers to be a huge threat to the legal gaming sector.
The UKGC said that Miller will continue his regulatory career, exploring industries beyond the British gaming sector.
In the meantime, the UK gaming sector continues to face headwinds due to shifting regulations and rising taxes. The Gambling Act white paper and the Autumn Budget took a toll on the sector and, according to stakeholders, made it less competitive.
With that in mind, the British Betting and Gaming Council just adopted a strong stance against a new proposal seeking to double the machine games duty. The council asserted that this “damaging policy” will further undermine the legal gaming sector, allowing its illegal counterpart to grow.