Regulatory Compliance Case Opened by UK Charities Commission
A regulatory compliance case has been opened up by the UK Charities Commission. The case concerns a gambling-related harm education charity called The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust, known as YGAM, and delves into connections with gambling trade body the BGC – Betting and Gaming Council.
No Details on Case Specifics Yet
For their part, the Charities Commission has so far not gone into any real detail in terms of what links are being explored in this case.
What is known is that back in May of last year, the Betting and Gaming Council rolled out a £10 million education programme on responsible gambling education, and that it was delivered by YGAM as part of a safer gambling commitment initiative.
All the Charities Commission would say is that they had opened a new regulatory compliance case to “assess the matter and are currently engaging with the trustees”. It’s hoped more details will be forthcoming quite soon.
Case Not Considered an Investigation
In recent days, the Charities Commission has moved to say that this particular case is not to be considered an investigation. Instead, regulatory compliance cases such as these are often used to establish any and all facts about a particular issue.
Because of that, the Commission has been at pains to communicate that this case existing in the first place does not even mean that any wrongdoing has taken place, though it has to look into many matters.
For their part, YGAM has also said that this case was to be considered a query and not a direct investigation. YGAM has a board of trustees who have, it seems, answered some queries from the Charities Commission with all the transparency needed.
YGAM is obliged to give the Commission the opportunity to see for itself their independent way of working, their governance controls, and the service’s approach towards evaluation.
Whether it is an investigation or not, a regulatory compliance case being opened is never good for any organisation. With that, YGAM perhaps understandably has been quick to speak out and talk about the pride they have in their team while also reminding us of the award-winning resources they have delivered through the Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme.
BGC Speaks Out in Support of YGAM
As part of the links being explored by the Charities Commission in the regulatory compliance case now open, the Betting and Gaming Council have also spoken out about the issue.
The BGC has told of its own pride in the work achieved alongside YGAM. The opinion of the BGC is that the education programme provided by their partner had been a very big success in its first year of operation.
The Betting and Gaming Council currently supports work provided by both YGAM and GamCare via the Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme. The programme offers education for younger people and training for those who work with them, the first year of which is said by stakeholders to have been a great success.
If there has, of course, been any impropriety in terms of legal compliance or funding, the case opened up by the Charities Commission will discover it very early. Naturally, what is hoped is that nothing untoward has taken place at all and the vital programme helping younger gamblers in need can continue to do what we all in the industry need it to.
