Regulator’s perspective
The benefit of hindsight and insight into the future A lthough there are similarities with other regulated industries, being a gambling regulator is a job like no other. It has some things in common with sugar legislators and the public why we’re doing the job we’re doing. By regulating gambling, we accept that it is an acceptable form of entertainment and not a fundamentally bad thing. Sometimes our politicians need to remember that especially when there are loud voices who will always be against gambling. So, if we accept that gambling is a legitimate activity, Former Danish regulator Birgitte Sand offers some advice to today’s gaming regulators and shares her unique perspective on what is in store for gaming.
regulation but sugar is not an industry with anything like the degree of novelty or innovation that gambling has. Its products can be chemically analysed and their effects can be seen medically, so there is much greater certainty about harms. There are also similarities with telecoms or banking in that the products can be complex, the costs are hard to quantify and no one is really agreed on what is an acceptable level of profit. But really, gambling regulation is unique, which is what makes it challenging and great fun. The industry changes constantly both in terms of the products, the technology and the politics involved. The wind is always blowing in different directions, and part of being a regulator is being strong enough to stand up to the pressures from all sides. To do that it helps to remind ourselves, the
then why are we regulating? We’re regulating to protect our citizens, support the fight against money laundering, sustain a level playing field for the licensed industry: all good things. Regulating raises money for our society, which is also a good thing, and all of those aims are served by bringing as much gambling activity as possible under the umbrella of the regulated market. If we stick with those principles, we can be confident when we’re challenged about decisions and we can be transparent about the reasoning behind them. Transparency about why we’re regulating is always
14 • IMGL Magazine • April 2022
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker