The Gambling Commission (GC) has announced that it will close down the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG).
The group was formed in 2019, rebranding from its original guise as the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, which itself was established in late 2008.
The ABSG was initially established in order to provide oversight and advice to the Gambling Commission in relation to the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.
Said strategy was implemented by the GC and ran between April 2019 and April 2022, and was designed to make significant progress in reducing gambling-related harms for UK bettors.
The priorities for the strategy were for gambling-related harm prevention and education to move towards a collective and clear prevention plan, in addition to ensuring treatment and support options were readily available nationwide.
The GC stated that ABSG will be disbanded following the conclusion of the strategy and delivery of key milestones.
A focus will now be placed on delivering “new arrangements better aligned to the next phase of research and regulation”.
A GC statement said: “Over the course of its work, ABSG has contributed to several important developments in gambling regulation, including the recognition of gambling harms as a public health issue, ensuring the voices of those with lived experience are included in policy and regulation through the creation of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) and supporting the introduction of the statutory levy to fund independent research, education and treatment.
“The Commission will now begin work to establish a new research-focused expert group to support the expanded role of research made possible through levy funding.”
In 2020, the ABSG lobbied for a statutory levy for UK operators, which was finally implemented in April 2025.
In October 2024, the GC added two new members to the ABSG in the form of the University of Helsinki’s Dr Virve Marionneau and Dr Spencer Murch of the University of Calgary.
GC CEO Andrew Rhodes said: “ABSG has played an important role in shaping how we think about gambling harms, and embedding lived experience perspectives into regulation. I want to thank all current and former members for their contribution and commitment.
“As we move into a new phase with the implementation of research programmes funded by the statutory levy, our priority is to ensure we have the right expert input to help inform our work.
“This is the right time to close ABSG and establish new arrangements that reflect the future needs of our gambling regulation and research.”
Helen Child, head of governance at the GC added: “ABSG have made a huge contribution to gambling regulation and the Commission. I am grateful for the insight, engagement and challenge each and every member has provided.”
The post Gambling Commission announces closure of Advisory Board for Safer Gambling first appeared on EGR Intel.
Regulator confirms body is set to be disbanded, with the focus for the authority now on “new arrangements better aligned to the next phase of research and regulation”
The post Gambling Commission announces closure of Advisory Board for Safer Gambling first appeared on EGR Intel.