UKGC deepens Lived Experience Panel’s policy feedback role 

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has cited a successful first meeting of its Lived Experience Advisory Panel, which will maintain a prominent role in how the Commission reshapes its public policies. 

This week, panel members held their first meetings with the Commission’s Experts by Experience Group, providing first-hand accounts of lived consequences of gambling harms and addiction.

Established as a key directive, last year the UKGC formed its Experts by Experience group to gather advice, evidence and recommendations to the Commission’s research teams to improve decision-making and policy raising standards.

Following its initial meeting with Experts by Experience, the Commission’s Lived Experience Panel will continue to work on improving all-round player safeguards when engaging with gambling operators.

“The establishment of this group is a great step forward for us in our work in making gambling safer and building our understanding of harm and its impacts,” said UKGC Chief Executive Neil McArthur.

“As already proven by the input of the Interim Group, the views and perspectives of Lived Experience in our decision making is invaluable and is already having a positive impact in our work in addressing gambling-related harm.”

McArthur underlined that in its short existence, the panel’s feedback had proved invaluable to the regulator’s recent policy work, providing vital input on its recent consultations on game design, customer interactions and player affordability.

Moving forward, the Lived Experience Panel will provide its insights and recommendations to the UKGC’s advisory boards on safer gambling and digital environments.  

 A spokesperson on behalf of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel said: “The creation of this group creates a real opportunity for the voice of those with lived experience to support and influence the work of the Gambling Commission.

“We are a diverse group of people and bring a wide range skills and personal experience of gambling harm. We take this role seriously and look forward to working together as a group to make progress in tackling gambling harm.”

Concluding its statement, the UKGC underlined its commitment to securing the widest range of views on the governance of UK gambling, as the government proceeds with its generational review of the industry’s laws, standards and practices.