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Panel minutes for 15 October 2024

Minutes of the Digital Advisory Panel (DAP) Meeting

15 October 2024, 14:00 to 15:30

Virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams

Panel Members:

  • Andy Payne (Chair)
  • Francine Bennett
  • Simo Dragicevic
  • Christian McMahon
  • Alison Pritchard
  • Darren Williams.

In attendance:

  • REDACTED
  • David Rossington (Commissioner)
  • REDACTED.

Apologies: Paul Smith.

1. Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest

Attendees were welcomed to the meeting.

There were no new declarations of interest.

The Commissioner thanked the Chair for inviting him to observe. The Chair confirmed that all Commissioners were welcome.

Apologies were received from Paul Smith. The comments that he had shared on the papers prior to the meeting would be incorporated into the discussion.

2. Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2024 were considered very good and approved.

It was noted that AI can produce good quality minutes and it could be something to explore in the future.

3. Data Innovation Project: Update

REDACTED.

Procurement work for the project has been completed with a contract due to be signed in the next week.

REDACTED.

A data maturity assessment will be undertaken so that the Gambling Commission can better articulate the current position, report to the Board and Executive and explain more clearly the data strategy and the use of new technology.

A new Project Delivery Manager has been appointed. The Data Innovation Team is not carrying any vacancies.

REDACTED. Colleagues are seeking DAP members to provide a mini peer review for this work and strengthen the plans as this space is developed.

  1. Darren Williams and Christian McMahon volunteered to be part of this work.

REDACTED

Data literacy resources are being prepared to go live on the Learning Zone and the action plan for data development is being developed in partnership with People Services.

Staff surveys take place every year, with interim surveys in between. The live survey includes a question to encourage colleagues to think about how data can be used to solve issues.

The winner of the data competition was announced at the annual staff conference in September. REDACTED. Work will commence in 2 weeks. 11 entrants were received from 7 Commission teams. The winning project was chosen on the basis that its benefits would be seen across multiple teams in the Commission.

The DAP Members asked questions and made comments:

  1. In response to comments around ensuring coherence as interest in the data work increased, we noted this challenge and our focus on communication with colleagues across the Commission to address it.
  2. REDACTED.

The Regulatory Returns continue to be worked through. There is a new batch of data coming and we want to continue to improve the quality of our core data.

In relation to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), work is underway on further analysis of the data set to support future reporting and keep developing the wealth of information available.

REDACTED.

REDACTED.

REDACTED.

The DAP made comments on progress. It was confirmed that:

  1. REDACTED.
  2. REDACTED.
  3. REDACTED.
  4. REDACTED.

Analysis of open banking data is focusing on the displacement effects of expenditure on gambling and the development of a survey.

DAP Members made a number of comments and suggestions. It was confirmed that:

  1. The survey is scheduled to go out during the final quarter of the year.
  2. REDACTED.

The unlicensed gambling methodology paper will be published next week. There will be a blog alongside the publication of the paper focusing on what the Commission does to disrupt illegal gambling activity. Improved links with international regulators will also be covered.

The DAP Members made the following comments:

  1. The link to disruption work is welcomed.
  2. REDACTED.

REDACTED.

There is a wider piece of governance work ongoing. A data maturity assessment will provide an understanding of where the Commission is now and where it needs to get to. A Sub-Committee of ExCo will provide a home for governance work and will be meeting next month.

The DAP commented that there should be agreement on risk appetite. This may be challenging as the Commission tries new things. There has to be an organisational choice.

4. Compliance Dashboard

REDACTED.

The Compliance Team are actively working with the Data Innovation Team on a project focussed on how to use data to better allocate resources based on risk.

The DAP noted a presentation exploring the approach and principles behind the work. It was highlighted that:

  1. The Compliance Team has a lot of potential work and resource therefore needs allocating based on risk.
  2. The process has involved getting a better understanding about what happens in the field and how to use data and approach it.
  3. The project is underpinned by robust governance arrangements.

The Data Innovation Team has:

  1. Considered the data held within the Commission and can help this work for Compliance.
  2. Considered learning from the experiences of other organisations.
  3. Worked closely with the Compliance Team throughout the process, meeting with representatives from that team every week.

There are 3 stages. Currently the project is in stage 1 whereby information has been extracted and visualised, but the Data Innovation Team is transitioning to stage 2 whereby information is analysed and outliers highlighted. At stage 3 predictions can be made.

REDACTED.

The DAP sought clarity on the efforts to visualise the existing data and the feedback received. It was confirmed that:

  1. The Compliance Team had specified what they wanted to see in the timeline. A second workshop is taking place tomorrow. The information presented in the previous week had been received positively.
  2. REDACTED.
  3. Complaints will be considered to see how they have changed and the parent groups and specific groups they are coming from. REDACTED.

The DAP welcomed the visualisation and recognised the journey that the Compliance Team were on and queried if this would logically lead to a machine learning model and if so the appetite for this. It was confirmed that:

  1. REDACTED.
  2. REDACTED.
  3. REDACTED.

REDACTED.

REDACTED.

The DAP Members were invited to consider the matrix and give feedback.

A workshop tomorrow will discuss risk indicators. The DAP Member views were sought on what indicators to focus on and what to include in the model.

REDACTED.

The DAP Members made the following points:

  1. REDACTED.
  2. REDACTED.
  3. REDACTED.
  4. REDACTED.
  5. There has been impressive work and huge progress. Colleagues are being taken on a journey and a lot of progress has been made.

It was confirmed that the updated risk indicators list would be circulated, and DAP Members were invited to email their thoughts. A meeting had already been arranged to discuss the matter with the DAP Member not in attendance.

5. AOB

The Commissioner observing the meeting thanked the DAP and commented that it was fascinating to hear about the work being undertaken and the incredible progress that has been made.

The launch of the GamProtect webpage was noted and the single customer view project was referenced. The DAP were urged to consider the gamprotect.co.uk webpage and note that gamprotect.com was something different. The DAP Chair has discussed the matter with the Chair of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling and spoken to colleagues within the Commission. It was noted that it is important to be clear about what GamProtect is meant to do and who it is for. A letter has been sent to the Chair of the Board and the Chief Executive but a reply has not yet been received.

It was noted that the outstanding progress on data proves that things can be done and there was recognition that going forward the Commission would be in a stronger data collection position REDACTED.

The meeting closed at 15:34.

REDACTED.

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