Entain CCCO Makes Damning Suggestion Over UK’s Black Market Struggle

The UK needs to be doing more in their efforts to eradicate the influence of black market gambling, and action must be taken now. That is the damning verdict of Entain’s Chief Customer Care Officer (CCO) and legal counsel Simon Zinger.

Figures bandied about recently present a grim picture of the inexorable rise of illegal gambling. It is thought that in the past five years, the black market has surged from 0.43% to 9% of Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR). And Zinger insists the bleeding needs to stop to keep rogue operators at bay.

Calling out the tech giants

So far, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) has actively engaged in conversations with Meta over advertising. While the UKGC recently pointed to the cease and desist orders sent to operators, and websites that were referred to Google for delisting, progress, Zinger intimated, has been pedestrian.

“I think we need to ask them the question. I think to ask them the question, you need to hold them to account,” Zinger told Next.io when pressed for his thoughts on dealing with black market gambling advertising techniques.

In offering more insight into the existential problem, Zinger continued: “There’s just so much more we can ask social media companies to do to help the regulated sector protect players and continue to benefit the legitimate economy, to stamp out the black market.

“With Meta, it’s the ads, it’s the influencers on Instagram. We see the same thing with TikTok. With Google, it’s the searches. There’s just a plethora of opportunity there, that with the right legislation, maybe with the right regulatory enforcement, the black market can be shut down.”

Putting players in the know

If anything, Zinger insists players need to be reminded of the licensed and approved operators in the industry. Entain, let’s not forget, is one of the most recognised gambling groups, and the owner of reputable UK betting sites, such as Ladbrokes and Coral.

Recently, the government confirmed it would carry out consultations in the spring to prohibit Premier League teams from collaborating with black market operators for sponsorship deals next season.

Entain’s CEO, Stella David, had urgently called on the government to take action, given six of the 20 top-flight clubs carried gambling brands on their shirts that were not recognised by the UKGC.

Zinger is adamant that education is important; however, he also recognised that a greater distinction should be made over deals agreed with shadowy brands or crypto companies that are more legitimate. On the subject of football sponsorships, he added:

“I think it’s dangerous. I think we should treat them the same.

“Because, if you distinguish, then you say ‘Stake - we’ll take away your licence on one hand, but we’ll let you support Everton football club on the other’. Why? Why should that be okay? To me, they’re in the same boat as [other black market operators]. They just have maybe a different purpose behind why they take your money, but to me it’s the same.”

Keeping the conversation going

Ultimately, the stakes are high. However, the UKGC has already set out its vision of cleaning up the gambling industry and keeping players out of the grasp of black market operators.

And Zinger thinks the conversation needs to keep going to ensure momentum isn’t lost. Reinforcing his message, he said:

“We need to work collectively - operators, governments, regulators, social media companies, the financial services industry, sports federations  - to put an end to it.”