Tom Watson: learn lessons from FOBT saga or face draconian measures

The gambling industry must heed the lessons of the FOBT debate and embrace collaboration or risk facing a draconian approach from government and regulators, driven by those who want the sector treated like "big tobacco".

That was the message from former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson in a keynote address to gambling industry executives at Ice Vox on Monday, the curtain-raiser to this week's Ice London conference.

Watson, who stood down at December's general election, was one of the most prominent critics of the gambling industry in Westminster during his time as an MP but struck a more sympathetic note in his speech.

He told attendees that he did not view "gambling in terms of angels and demons, in terms of black and white", and added that having a bet was "part of our national culture".

Watson added: "What I want is a system of regulation which protects the vulnerable, sets sensible boundaries, allows reasonable rewards for the industry, encourages innovation, and lets you get on with your business."

However, he went on to say that the industry needed to recognise the "human costs and the misery" suffered by problem gamblers and their families.

"The tragedy of our recent history on gaming machines in the UK, called FOBTs, is that instead of being prepared to approach its critics and find common ground, the industry doubled down, denounced its critics, including me, and dug in even deeper," said Watson.

He added: "The industry, by its intransigence, ended up with a much worse outcome than if it had engaged with good grace and emollience.

"The saga of FOBTs should inform our approach in the future. We should all learn from the experience."

Watson said the conversations he'd had with industry leaders meant he believed "reform is possible as well as desirable".

He went on: "I'm optimistic we can forge a new and productive relationship. There are new faces on all sides, and a new dedication to make progress.

"My final thought is this – if we can't forge that reasonable, evidence-based consensus on the way forward, the result will not be business-as-usual.

"No, the result will be a tougher, more draconian approach driven by those who believe what you do is morally wrong, and that the job of government and regulators is to stamp you out, like big tobacco and liquor."

Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Michael Dugher

Among those in attendance was Watson's former parliamentary colleague Michael Dugher, who has this week officially taken up his post of chief executive of industry body the Betting and Gaming Council.

In an article written for the Politics Home website to mark his new role, Dugher said it would "certainly be challenging".

However, he added: "When I took on this job it was based on the clear understanding that this was an industry committed to making big changes. And I am determined it'll be a race to the top on industry standards."

Gambling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur was another to talk of collaboration in his speech to executives at Ice Vox.

McArthur said the industry regulator would get tougher with operators if it needed to be, but added: "The time to think of this as a competition between 'poachers' and 'gamekeepers' has gone.

"Gambling-related harm is a public health issue. It needs a comprehensive public health response. We all need to see ourselves as working to make gambling safer.

"We each have a different part to play, but that must be our goal. If that isn't anyone's goal they need to leave the industry."

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