The not-so-coveted upcoming affordability checks in the UK have led to Dr James Noyes leaving the Gambling Act Review Evaluation Advisory Group in an act of protest against the government, as reported by The Sun.
Noyes was invited to be a part of the Advisory Group on behalf of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) due to his credentials as an expert in gambling policy and his advisory work as a Senior Fellow at the Social Market Foundation (SMF).
The Advisory Group itself was set up in coordination with the Gambling Commission to provide technical advice on the provisions of the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper, which Noyes alleged has fallen on deaf ears.
No agreement on affordability checks
What proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back were the highly divisive affordability checks, which would require bettors to provide proof of financial stability if they are flagged by an operator for accumulating extensive losses – according to the government.
The checks are referred to by the Gambling Commission as Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs). The checks will be implemented when customers meet a proposed loss threshold of £150 per month.
The Gambling Commission has maintained that these checks will first and foremost be frictionless, causing minimal disruption to affected customers, and that the number of affected active accounts will be less than 3%.
Noyes, alongside the majority of betting stakeholders, have actively criticised the development of the soon-to-be-implemented measures, arguing that not enough has been done to comprehensively evaluate the outcomes of affordability checks.
In a recent letter directly addressing Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Secretary Lisa Nandy, Noyes raised the alarm about “increasing reports that the pilot scheme has involved inconsistent data, unclear outcomes and unnecessary friction”.
Despite this, Noyes has proclaimed that he remains a supporter of the affordability checks, as long as they are implemented with adequate due diligence and deliver on the promised frictionless approach.
SBC News has reached out to Noyes for a comment on his resignation from the Advisory Group.
