GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 31 - February 2015

Gaming Foundation are a promising start. However, the challenge will be to bring together a cross section of the industry for the greater good and produce results that positively impact regulation without reflecting internal division. The politics of understanding As Groucho Marx said, "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it every- where, diagnosing it incorrectly and ap- plying the wrong remedies." There is also a little truth in this comment for the gam- bling industry. It is the political landscape which sets the tone and regulatory context for the in- dustry. This landscape is not based upon fact, evidence or reality. It is the politi- cal drivers and emotive issues which re- ally control this debate. Whether at EU or member-state level, politicians are inter- ested in votes, ticking the policy and tax- raising box and being seen to protect their consumers. The civil servants are the de- liverers of this agenda, but are producing policy for an industry about which they have only limited knowledge. Gambling is simply not a vote winner. It is politi- cally too hot to handle. Progress at the EU level has been slow. It still lacks vision and direction, and the attempts to harmonize or find regulatory efficiencies at the national level have thus far been slow to produce results. Success in this area is dependent on the characters involved and their willingness to put na- tional interests aside. We see some change in the offing, with jurisdictions such as Malta taking a fresh approach to seek a more positive and engaging relationship between operators and regulators. Among politicians and government of- ficials, the industry remains misunder- stood and communications are riddled with hearsay, myth and speculation. This clouds the facts and discourages fair de- bate on online gambling. The politicians openly use this to their advantage. This, combined with a lack of understand- ing of the political environment and a fail- ure to tailor its messages to fit those of the politicians, makes the gambling industry an easy target. So what should the industry be doing? It has never been so important for this industry to rethink its strategic ap- proach. First, it needs to dovetail its EU and national strategies and speak with one — or at the very least, a consistent — voice. What can be done at the EU level and what is best to manage at the national level where there are so many cultural differences? Second, it needs to come to grips with the political and policy agenda in both the EU and among member states to produce a strategy that makes sure that its messages are in alignment with the objectives of the political institutions. This in itself will achieve greater resonance. Third, and perhaps most vitally impor- tant, the industry should move away from a defensive, combative approach to be more positively engaging and strategic in the communication of its reputational and perception issues. The industry must be proactive and take the lead, with all segments working together to regain con- trol of its messages. This is not about rein- venting the wheel or fighting the actions of others but about bringing industry so- lutions to the policy makers’ table. A good example would be to use tools that already exist, such as the CWA on Responsible Remote Gambling Measures, and raising the bar to a full European standard — which in turn can also lead to a global standard — to provide a solid basis for the future. The greatest benefits in terms of consumer protection are a har- monized market, and such harmonization goes hand-in-hand with high, indepen- dent standards rather than the lowest common denominator. This industry is at the forefront of eCom- merce. It has some exemplary systems such as age verification, specifically sin- gled out in the 2010 Internet and Children report by the Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety. It should be openly communicating its best practices and social responsibility. Industry must act, and act now The industry and its best practice must be better understood by policy and de- cision makers. Only then will they gain trust and be treated with respect in the longer term. The industry has the opportunity to take an active part in shaping the future regulatory landscape of online gaming at the EU and member-state level. Such an approach takes time, persistence and patience. Let us not be discussing these very same issues in another 10 years. Now is the time to act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Kostense-Winterton is chief executive of KW Communications, a London-Brussels based communications consultancy. She has spent over 18 years in political communications and over a decade working with the gambling industry. Among politicians and government officials, the industry remains misunderstood and communications are riddled with hearsay, myth and speculation. This clouds the facts and discourages fair debate.” 16 The industry is moving forward, but is it moving in the right direction?