The revamped campaign group is focusing on legal-compliance in the online gaming policy sector in the US.
In an open letter accompanying the campaign’s new website, Webb announced the relaunch of the organization after receiving advice from safer gambling campaigner Matt Zarb-Cousin and academic James Noyes.
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling’s new purpose is to provide an “evidence-based” approach to improving US remote gambling policy, legislation, regulation, and enforcement standards in order to reduce associated harms.
The organization aims to advance both consumer protection and harm amelioration in the gambling industry by advocating for a bipartisan agenda. It intends to remain neutral on gambling expansion but will critically evaluate any false representations made by financially-motivated promoters of gambling.
Webb, a former professional poker player and the inventor of Three Card Poker, founded the group in 2012. The organization played a major role in the Stop the FOBTs campaign, which aimed to impose restrictions on Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) and was launched in 2013.
In 2017, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport initiated a study on reducing the maximum stake of FOBTs from £100. Eventually, in May the following year, the ministry decided to reduce the maximum stake to £2 per spin, a measure that took effect on April 1, 2019.
Since the implementation of the new rules, FOBT revenue has declined by £750m ($933.6/€862.9m), representing a 40% decrease. Additionally, within three years, the National Gambling Treatment Service reported a 65% drop in clients who reported FOBTs as their main gambling activity.
Webb expressed his desire to see similar positive outcomes from future reforms. He believes that with proper protections in place, gambling can be enjoyable for consumers while also being viable for businesses.
Webb acknowledged the contributions of his partners, including Matt Zarb-Cousin, a political activist who personally experienced addiction to FOBTs from the age of 16. Jointly, they formed Clean Up Gambling, focused on online and mobile gambling, in an effort to encourage the British government to review the Act and adapt it to the digital age.
Noyes also played a crucial role, providing advice to the Labour party deputy leader on gambling policy. As a result, both major political parties in the UK included a commitment to reviewing gambling laws in their manifestos.
Webb criticized the rhetoric of some trade lobbyists in the gambling sector who have previously labeled advocates of reform as “anti-gambling prohibitionists.” He clarified that their intent is to preserve access to lawful, yet safer gambling options for consumers. Meanwhile, some operators continue to breach regulations, profit from black markets, and become significant players in the newly liberalized US remote gambling market.
He further pointed out that in their haste to capitalize on the industry’s growth, some US states have overlooked these problematic practices and failed to learn from international experiences, leaving them ill-prepared to mitigate the negative consequences of remote gambling expansion.
