The UK Gambling Commission has showcased its continued drive to improve and take an “active role” in the international stage via an array of avenues.
In a blog article posted on the UKGC’s official website, Jamie Wall, Senior Manager for International Regulatory Partnerships, revealed that the Commission has expanded its presence by working with regulators, governments and law enforcement agencies to share best practices and collaborative action on various activities.
Moreover, steps taken to expand its international reach includes the creation of the newly formed International Lead position within the UKGC, held by Walls, which will see him focus on ensuring that the Commission’s priorities internationally are “ingrained” within its corporate strategy and objectives.
Within the blog, Walls noted: “As part of our continuous improvement drive, we are taking an increasingly active role on the international stage. This includes working with other regulators, governments, and law enforcement agencies to share best practice and take collaborative action on a range of activities.
“With the digital landscape continuously changing the way people gamble, and the ways in which operators promote gambling, we know that operators are now often holding licences across multiple jurisdictions and continents.
“Whilst historically we have always had close relationships with the more mature gambling regulators, we are now building further on these ties, whilst also forming new relationships within other emerging markets to ensure we can obtain and share a clearer picture of issues, trends and innovations.”
Another part of the Commission’s drive is to become “more heavily involved” in regulatory events on a global scale, including roundtables with a number of jurisdictions and speeches, such as the UKGC’s Chief Executive’s Andrew Rhodes’s at the 2022 International Association of Gaming Regulators conference.
In addition, Walls highlighted the need to increase two-way communication via signing more memorandum of understandings with other regulators, whilst also sharing data, best practices and enforcement information.
The final step noted was collaboration with other regulators bilaterally on issues that are cross-jurisdictional to “see tangible outcomes”.
Moving ahead, Walls concluded: “We look forward to sharing more of the Commission’s work in this area along with collaborative action we are taking with fellow regulators.
“Expect to see more details of conferences and workshops we have been involved with, along with how international best practice is affecting the way we regulate.”
