The United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission (UKGC) has announced the appointment of Nick Rust as the chairman of its Industry Forum. According to the regulator, Rust will step into the office in November and will serve an initial two-year term.

The UKGC noted that its Industry Forum will be made up of members from the United Kingdom’s gambling sector. Its job will be to provide the gambling watchdog with insight into how the gambling industry feels about the Commission’s regulatory plans.

As announced by the UKGC, Rust has a significant track record in the gambling and sports sectors. His past experience includes a successful six-year tenure as the chief executive officer of the British Horseracing Authority. In addition to that, Rust currently serves as the chairman of the Starting Price Regulatory Commission. He is also a non-executive director of Redcar Racecourse.

The UKGC added that Rust is a founding partner of GVS EQ, a company that specializes in equine sports. He is also a trustee of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Marcus Boyle, the UKGC’s chairman, welcomed Rust on board. He praised his knowledge of the gambling sector, saying that his input will be invaluable.

I am delighted that Nick has been appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Commission’s Industry Forum. Nick’s extensive knowledge of the gambling sector makes him a valuable asset, and I am confident he will work with us to create a productive and insightful Industry Forum.

Marcus Boyle, chair, UKGC

The UKGC Moves Toward Implementing the White Paper Measures

In the meantime, the UKGC continues to evaluate and move toward implementing the measures outlined in the Gambling Act white paper. However, its plans to introduce affordability checks continue to dismay both consumers and gambling companies.

A recent petition, for example, seeks to convince the government to abandon its affordability checks plans. The petition currently has almost 75,000 signatures. Gamblers argue that the measure would make their hobby unsustainable, despite the UKGC’s efforts to convince them that the checks would be seamless and non-intrusive.

Andrew Rhodes from the UKGC has been increasingly vocal about the alleged intentional efforts to misinform the British public about the true nature of the checks. During the recent IAGR conference, he reaffirmed his position, slamming the efforts to “muddy the waters of debate and to torpedo the implementation.”

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