UK Gambling Commission announces new position to tackle black market

• The UK Gambling Commission is creating a new dedicated role for the head of illegal gambling
• The position will see the would-be appointee spearhead the regulator’s efforts against the black market that continues to target local customers
• Some critics have remarked that the salary may not correspond to the implied responsibility of the position

Much of the regulatory efforts in the United Kingdom have so far focused on getting license holders in line. Whether it had to do with substantial fines over AML and KYC failures or license revocations over disregard of the regulatory framework as a whole, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has not held back.

New head of illegal gambling is coming to the UKGC - what does it mean?

Now, the watchdog is strengthening its efforts vis-à-vis the black market in the country. The UKGC has announced a new dedicated position for the head of illegal markets, tasked with enacting enforcement against black market operators who operate without a commission-granted license.

The position is far-reaching, as it will allow the person to spearhead and oversee investigations into illegal operators and also seek cross-border collaboration to succeed in enforcement. The job post further specified:

"This role plays a critical part in delivering the Commission’s broader strategy to combat illegal gambling, directly contributing to the creation of a safer and more transparent gambling environment across Great Britain.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders to develop and refine strategic responses to emerging threats and illegal market activities, ensuring that the Commission’s approach is agile, effective, and forward-thinking."

The would-be head of illegal markets will also collaborate with operators, regulators, and tech platforms, looking for new ways to combat illegal gambling. Enforcement is a key issue with black market operators. Operating from beyond state borders, they are usually not constrained by local assets that can be seized should they fail to comply.

Finding ways to bring illegal gambling operators to accountability

Their financial and ownership structures are often difficult to discern, making it difficult for individual regulators to act more decisively against those companies. Headline fines from the Netherlands, for example, have demonstrated that the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) is willing to act on its mandate as enforcer of regulatory rules.

In the meantime, the person who will be taking over as head of illegal markets in the UK can expect a £65,000 annual salary for a full-time position. While the efforts to contain the black market, which is an ongoing and growing threat in the UK, are welcome, the current arrangement of the job seems to fall short.

A £65,000 may appear too low for someone who is responsible for tackling what could be billions worth of industry that is preying on local customers.

"I just can’t see how this level of remuneration will attract the calibre of individual needed," Nigel Harvey, a gambling industry compliance specialist, said on LinkedIn, quoted by Next.io

Image credit: Unsplash.com