Betting shop staff see problem gambling measures as “pointless” and “futile”, an alarming new report reveals.
Shockingly, the report, commissioned by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG), revealed that some betting companies set a default spending limit as high as £99,999.
It comes after a former industry worker said that no moral compass is necessary for a person to work in the gambling industry.
‘False beliefs’
…clear wake-up call to the gambling industry.
The report found that some betting shop staff are not properly trained to spot problem gamblers.
Bookmaker staff were also embracing “false beliefs” about gambling, such as saying that some numbers are lucky.
One customer was reportedly told by a member of staff: “You always win when you sit at this table, don’t you?”
‘Wake-up call’
…litany of poor practice from an industry that is out of control.
Chief Executive of GambleAware Marc Etches said the report is a “clear wake-up call to the gambling industry”.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson described the report as “shocking” and said it revealed a “litany of poor practice from an industry that is out of control”.
“Instead of trying to help problem gamblers, and encourage responsible gambling, too often gambling firms and their staff are facilitating irresponsible behaviour”, he added.
‘Moral compass’
Last month, in an article for the Guardian, an anonymous writer spoke out about their time working for a gambling company where employees “never considered or cared about the consequences” of their actions.
The writer said: “When I sat down for my interview, the first thing I was asked was whether I minded working in an industry without a moral compass.
“If I did have any ethics, they said, I would have to throw them out the window because that’s what this kind of work demands.”