Baillie and Seddon Reappointed to Gambling Commission
Two former commissioners at Britain’s gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, have been reappointed.
John Baillie and Catharine Seddon’s admission back to the regulatory body has been approved by Oliver Dowden, the current Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. Their reappointment will see the pair serve as commissioners until April 10th, 2022, at least.
Baillie and Seddon’s Experience
Most recently, John Baillie was chairman of the Accounts Commission for Scotland and in the past was also a partner of KPMG International, a global network of professional companies providing tax, audit and advisory services.
As well as this, Baillie has also been a member in the past of the reporting panel of the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority.
Catharine Seddon, a current member of the Legal Services Board, previously spent 20 years making films before taking on her now numerous public roles in non-executive capacities. She is the chair of the Legal Services Board’s audit and risk assurance committee.
It is hoped that both Seddon and Baillie can bring their wealth of experience to the Gambling Commission for another year as it continues to attempt to improve and advise a government looking to update its Gambling Act.
Whittingdale Takes over Gambling Act Review
The reappointment of both commissioners comes hot the heels of the Minister for Media and Data within Dowden’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, John Whittingdale, having recently taken on the brief for gambling and lotteries in the country.
Having taken on the mantle from Nigel Huddleston, John Whittingdale will now be given the task of overseeing the Gambling Act review as the government looks to brings its laws and regulations in line with the modern world. The Gambling Act 2005 was seen as outdated given the advent of betting via smartphones and tablets.
Whittingdale already has numerous public responsibilities himself. As well as taking on the Gambling Act review within his role as overseer of gambling and lotteries in the UK, he is also charged with looking after media as well as international and EU strategy.
His international strategy responsibilities task him with finding future trade deals, Britain having left the EU bloc in January, while he also oversees Britain’s approach to union policies, the National Archives, public appointments, and a number of other duties.
While John Whittingdale is clearly spinning various plates, it is thought that adding the experience of Seddon and Baillie back onto the Gambling Commission board will help him in his overall quests.
The Gambling Act Review
For those as yet unaware, Britain’s review of the Gambling Act 2005, the very basis for just about all the gambling regulations in Great Britain, got underway in 2020.
The current conservative government started the review after they committed to ensuring that the Act is fit for the digital age.
Gambling, much like retail, banking, and other important economic areas, has changed hugely since 2005 and especially given that the smartphone age has meant people can now gamble any time, anywhere. The faster pace these devices foster means that it is clear that those exhibiting some potential gambling-related harms need to be better protected.
Gambling advertising is also under scrutiny in the review, though already it has caused controversy. Gambling caps of just £100 per month have been mooted, the figure potentially being implemented regardless of a person’s income.
