Full set of FRA rollout evidence to be released this Autumn

Sarah Gardner, Acting Chief Executive (CEO) of the Gambling Commission, has committed to releasing the full dataset, evidence and methodology behind the decision to implement Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) sometime this Autumn.

The confirmation came as part of an official response to a series of questions raised by the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee earlier in July, asking Gardner to address multiple concerns from gambling stakeholders about the highly controversial phased rollout of FRAs.

Gardner and the Commission have faced continuous scrutiny from the gambling sector, which has criticised the decision to go through with FRAs without publishing the evidence-based explanation behind it in full.

As to why that was the case, Gardner told the Committee that the evidence was not published together with the decision’s announcement due to the implementation timetable that the Commission has set.

This timetable includes summer consultation with implementation groups – consisting of gambling operators and credit reference agencies – created with the goal of informing the Commission’s FRA consultation response.

In her response, Gardner said: “We plan to issue the consultation response in the Autumn which will set out this information, consistent with our usual practice of explaining our decisions in full.

“The reason, in this case, why we did not publish the consultation response when we announced a decision to proceed relates to the timetable for implementation. 

“We think it is important to ensure, in relation to decisions on the way FRAs will be implemented, that our consultation response is informed by discussions with stakeholders and particularly by discussions with the implementation groups that we are currently establishing.”

Betting and racing fight FRAs

Racing industry stakeholders have also questioned the level of communication that the Commission has shown throughout the decision process, with the opposition largely led by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

The BHA and the industry it represents is worried that FRAs could push away VIP punters from the sport, cutting off an important revenue source at a time of financial uncertainty for horse racing given the impact of UK tax changes on the sport’s key betting partners.

Representatives from the horse racing industry will not take part in the above-mentioned implementation groups, as they are only meant for stakeholders directly involved with conducting FRAs.

However, responding to the Committee, Gardner confirmed that the Commission will deepen its engagement with the racing sector beyond the groups by organising separate individual meetings with relevant stakeholders. 

The acting CEO added that the BHA has already agreed to meet with the Commission on the topic of FRAs.

“Recognising the symbiotic relationship between racing and betting, and our shared interests on a range of issues such as integrity and tackling illegal gambling, we remain committed to constructive engagement with racing stakeholders,” Gardner said.

The highly-debated rollout of FRAs comes at a time of leadership change at the top of the Commission, with Tim Miller, Director of Policy, and Andrew Rhodes, former CEO of the Commission, both handing in their notices this year.

Rhodes left the Commission in April, and subsequently took on a consultancy job.