One of the many issues with this Gambling Act review is it’s going to so focused on responsible gambling, TV advertising and sports sponsorship and affordability to the extent they’ll miss the opportunity to review so much else that’s changed in the past 15 years.

The anti-crusaders want to focus on these things, the media too, and the firms have accepted there’s no way of avoiding them, and have made big strides on RG in recent years that they’re keen to showcase as part of the review. Not touching on other things suits the books.

For proof of that, ask any of them about the need to split gaming & sports betting, they all clam up immediately. Don’t want to discuss it. Nick Luck asked Michael Dugher about restrictions the other week. Couldn’t change the subject fast enough. They don’t want that conversation

We need a 2021 version of the Gambling Commission. Given proper powers to tell firms what to do which are for the good of the public, the firms themselves & the game as a whole. Filled with people who have proper knowledge and the industry at heart. Able to take a long term view.

Able to say (and proactive in actually doing so) actually guys this new market you’re offering or this new promotion you have looks nice and will appeal to many but on balance for x, y and z reasons in the long term it’s not beneficial to the whole industry. So you can’t do it.

I’ll give one example. Best Odds Guaranteed. The worst invention in betting industry history. Yet whoever invented it will think it was genius, and the firms who gained a first mover advantage by implementing first will have done superbly from it. But at what cost to the overall?

At a stroke, BOG killed what was the art of good bookmaking. Lay a horse in the morning at 9/4 which you make 3/1, it drifts all afternoon, goes off 4/1 Great trading, well done. Horse wins 20% of the time. Only now, when it does win you pay out at a price you didn’t want to lay.

It looks like a great promotion for punters but dig deeper and it really harms them in so many unseen ways (BOG has made it harder to get on and firms become even more defensive with early prices for just two reasons). At the time many firms had misgivings about introducing it.

But the pressure on them from suits who saw the turnover increase of those who’d added it made it impossible to resist for long. What if a strong and knowledgeable GC could have looked into it properly and said actually lads, this might look good but it’s going to be net bad?

None of you are allowed to do it. Now get back to bookmaking properly and you’ll make more money and the customer overall will get a better experience. Where’s the focus on that type of thing as part of this review? Not going to happen is it?

The majority of what they’re going to look at was decided long ago & the industry is only too happy to go along with it. The opportunity for genuine progress & a more exciting/interesting landscape for everyone won’t even be considered. Opportunity missed. When’s the next chance?