Board minutes 13 July 2023
Venue: Remote meeting
Time: 09:30 - 13:00
Attendees:
- Cath Cooney (CC)
- Anna van der Gaag (AVDG) (Chair)
- Philip Newall (PN)
- Ulla Romild (UR)
- Stephen Sharman (SS)
- Jane West (JW)
- David Zendle (DZ).
In attendance:
- (REDACTED)
- (REDACTED)
- (REDACTED)
- (REDACTED).
1. Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest
AVDG welcomed Board Members to the meeting. There were no apologies noted.
There were no new declarations of interest.
2. Minutes and matters arising from May 2023
The minutes from the previous meeting of 24 to 25 May 2023 were agreed. The minutes were also retrospectively reviewed and agreed for 16 November 2022 and 19 January 2023.
The Board raised that the Declarations of Interest (DOIs) on the website are out of date and require updating.
The Secretariat took an action to ensure the website was up to date for meeting dates, minutes and DOIs.
3. Chair's update
AVDG highlighted key points from the Chair's report, focused on the reforms outlined in the White Paper. AVDG asked members to reflect on any meetings they had recently attended.
SS noted he had attended the International Think Tank on Gambling Research Practice and Policy. SS will circulate further details from the event with Board Members once received.
AVDG reflected on the benefit of networking and how this supports the Board in its work with the Gambling Commission.
DZ highlighted that in supporting the Commission to become more data focused, he is looking at where the Commission can get more useful granular data.
4. ABSG input to Gambling Act Review (GAR) deliverables
The Board identified their interests and/or experience against relevant Commission and/or DCMS led deliverables identified in the GAR.
The Board discussed how their views can be aligned with the GAR workplan. Following this, REDACTED took an action to contact the Executive Director of Research and Policy to discuss how the Board can input to the GAR implementation work.
AVDG reflected on the amount of work and a clearer picture as to how to involve ABSG in the GAR deliverable work.
5. GAR implementation - Socially responsible incentives
AVDG welcomed members of the Commission's Policy team.
The Board received a brief recap of several Commission led initiatives under the GAR. In particular, key areas from the Commission’s advice which was based on evidence submitted by Advisory Groups. The Board were advised of work undergoing in preparation for future consultations.
The Board focused on a key policy area - socially responsible incentives.
The Board were asked to give their views on two overarching questions:
- how do we regulate incentives more effectively to ensure they are delivered in a socially responsible manner?
- how do we increase consumer knowledge and understanding of incentives? For example, do customers have the knowledge to judge the achievability of an offer?
A wide ranging discussion followed, drawing on members experience.
6. Data update
REDACTED discussed how the Commission is looking at data, what it is hoping to achieve and how this work can be used to fill priority evidence gaps. This included outlining a number of existing projects where the Commission is using advanced data analytics and ways the Commission is building its capacity to expand this in the future.
The Board discussed how it could support the pipeline of activities. REDACTED agreed to follow up with DZ with a separate meeting to discuss ideas around options for data pilot projects.
7. Any Other Business
None notified.