Tag Archives: Brigid Simmonds

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is sponsoring this year’s Leicester Racecourse Veterans’ Day, which raises vital funds for several military charities. The BGC has lauded the event as another opportunity to give back to the veteran community that has ‘sacrificed so much on behalf of this nation’s safety, security and prosperity’. Furthermore, the organisation will also be sponsoring the …

Yesterday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) showcased the distinct opinions of key political actors at the centre of delivering the change needed to future-proof UK gambling.  “There is never a dull moment in our industry,” stated BGC CEO Michael Dugher, opening the proceedings of the AGM held at the Institution of Civil Engineers in …

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has confirmed that Brigid Simmonds (OBE) will step down as Chair of the industry trade and standards body for UK gambling.  The former Chief Executive of The Pub Association, Simmonds was appointed the BGC’s inaugural Chair in 2019, tasked with representing a “united betting and gaming industry” ahead of the Gambling Review being initiated …

Brigid Simmonds (OBE), Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has urged the government to guarantee the funding of third sector organisations in its consultation of a mandatory levy on problem gambling harms. Announced yesterday by DCMS, an eight-week consultation has been launched to gather stakeholder insights on the structure, management and oversight of a fixed levy collecting funds …

Having traversed a long career across the spheres of sports, politics and betting, Brigid Simmonds OBE knows all too well the intricacies of interacting with policymakers on key industry issues. Ahead of her induction into the SBC Hall of Fame at the SBC Summit Barcelona, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) Chair reflected on her experience of legislative engagement as …

Brigid Simmonds, Chair of the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) reflects on the trade body’s development since its inception in 2019, navigating the crossfire of UK Gambling’s journey towards its regulatory resolution in 2023.  A headline speaker of the SBC Summit Barcelona (19-21 September), Simmonds cites that UK Gambling shares a ‘common experience’ with other European markets awaiting regulatory settlement. …

GamCare CEO Anna Hemmings has stepped down from her leadership position at the gambling treatment support network after a five-year tenure. Hemmings guided the charity’s strategy and direction through several transformative years for UK gambling and the expansion of its treatment support network and resources.  Her tenure included guiding the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the two-year duration of …

In an opinion piece on the forthcoming Gambling Act review White Paper, Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) Chair Brigid Simmonds has warned that the UK could lose investment. Writing on Conservative Home during the World Cup, the Conservative Party’s news and blogging webpage, Simmonds stated that the betting sector is operating under the pressure of rising costs, but also under …

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed that the country’s problem gambling rate has dropped for another year to 0.2%, prompting the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) to praise the industry’s efforts.  Issuing an update, the UKGC demonstrated that problem gambling rates had consistently fallen year-on-year from 2020 onwards, with the March 2020 figure standing at 0.6%, falling to 0.4% …

Brigid Simmonds (OBE), Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has warned the government against radically alerting UK gambling’s RET (research, education and treatment) duties ahead of the of publication of the White Paper on industry reforms.  Writing an open editorial on Conservative Home, the central news source of the Conservative Party, Simmonds acknowledged that emotions had surpassed evidence …