After a six month development period, working with members, the GBG board and advisory bodies, the Gambling Business Group has unveiled its new 2024 Strategy which outlines the association’s objectives at this “vitally important” time for the UK land-based industry.

The Gambling Business Group took advantage of the largest platform in the global gaming and gambling industry to launch its new four-strand Strategy programme which will focus on reinforcing the land-based sector’s presence on high streets across the UK during the coming years.

Unveiling its new goals on the High Street Hub in the centre of ICE London this week, GBG board member Paul Terroni of Novomatic Gaming UK, and chair Steve Sharp, outlined the schedule that will drive the association’s activities as it builds its status as “the respected voice for the cross-sector land-based gambling industry.”

The GBG strategy addresses the shifting regulatory landscape, and more importantly the impact it will have on businesses of all sizes on the high street. The four point programme centres on raising the bar on commercial social responsibility, holding the government to account, driving more informed local regulator communication, and pioneering technological innovation – all geared for what GBG stresses is “a vitally important time for the high street and the wider sector”.

Working alongside its membership and policy consultant Henham Strategy, the Gambling Business Group has sent a clear signal that social responsibility and innovation must sit at the heart of everything it does and provide the driving force for its Strategic Aims to:

1. Lead on raising Corporate Social Responsibility across the land-based sector and demonstrate how gambling premises can contribute to the wellbeing of communities and society;

2. Lead on holding government to account in developing robust evidence-based gambling regulation;

3. To be the industry point of contact for local regulators;

4. To be the innovative lead on technology to meet industry challenges.
 

GBG board member and Novomatic director Paul Terroni said:

“The high streets in the UK in most areas have been downgraded. What we’re doing with GBG is creating a business association that promotes the high street, in terms of AGCs, bingo, and bookmakers; trying to look forward to the new business opportunities we can generate.

“This strategy is the result of working closely with members. Our board members represent a broad sector of the high street AGC, bookmakers, and bingo. There’s no other body in the UK, whether it’s BGC, bacta or anything else, that’s akin to where we want to be with promoting the high street for our businesses.”
 

GBG chair Steve Sharp said:

“The response has been very positive from members. Henham Strategy went out and interviewed members, presenting our proposals and getting feedback. It’s all been very positive from members, and the wider industry we shared this with. The strategy is not only for our members, but also about protecting vulnerable people while looking after the high street. It’s all about doing the right thing.

“We’re working to the Strategy already, but we’ll be monitoring where we’re going on a monthly and weekly basis, and then we’ll be discussing it with the board during our regular quarterly meetings.

We have committed to various objectives for each of the four aims that make up the strategy, and the regular working group meetings will monitor the outcomes and the impact.”
 

GBG CEO Peter Hannibal said:

“The Strategic Aims look beyond the current raft of White Paper changes into the long term and to what is needed to protect and secure the future of the land based gambling sector, with consumer protection and corporate social responsibility front and centre at all times.

Gambling venues in our towns and cities play an important role in their communities and The High Street Hub is an excellent platform to showcase some of the great work underway and the exciting plans for the coming year.”