The Gambling Ombudsman – A New Player in British Gambling Regulation

The Government’s long-awaited policy paper on gambling reform (the “White Paper”) has sparked a significant discussion in its proposal to establish an ombudsman to provide a more robust and effective system for adjudicating gambling customer complaints relating to social responsibility and gambling harm (the “Ombudsman”). The proposal is well intentioned, with the laudable aim of better protecting consumers and enhancing the industry’s accountability, but can it really work in practice? In this article, we’ll consider the possible ‘thorny issues’ facing the creation of such a body, as well as its envisaged structure and functions, the possible implications for operators, and the timeline for its implementation.