New Betting and Gaming Council to serve gambling industry in the autumn

A new cross-gambling industry trade body called the Betting and Gaming Council will launch in the autumn with the aim of providing one voice for the sector.

Membership will be open to all gambling operators with a UK licence across online and retail gambling with the aim of covering 90 per cent of the sector excluding lotteries.

It will fulfil the roles of the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB), which will be wound up when the council is fully operational.

Chairing the council will be Brigid Simmonds, who has been chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association since September 2009 and is a former trustee of GambleAware.

The council has also begun the search for a chief executive.

Simmonds said: "The gambling industry is a hugely significant contributor to the leisure industry and to the economy.

"There are, however, critical issues facing the sector and that is why I will ensure that creating a safe gambling environment is the top priority."

Simmonds was welcomed into her new role by RGA chairman John Coates, also co-chief executive of bet365, who added: "I know she will drive co-operation across the industry on all safer gambling initiatives as it continues to come together to collectively address the challenges it faces."

His counterpart at the ABB, Paul Darling, said Simmonds would bring great insight, and added: "I welcome the creation of the Betting and Gaming Council which will enable the sharing of best practice across the industry and significantly increase the capability for innovation on new safer gambling measures."

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