This blog got me sacked

Yesterday, 2pm, London.

GamCare, the leading provider of information, advice and free counselling for problem gamblers, were forced to terminate my contract because of this blog.

GamCare asked me to remove their logo, so here’s a Tapir

Admittedly, my contract was voluntary, and I’m not sure if you can even sack a volunteer. But either way, I was sacked/asked to leave/forced to resign.

I was called into a meeting and it was explained that The Betting Blog had been ‘brought to their attention’.

This very blog, which you are so kindly reading, does not sit comfortably with GamCare.

Who had brought this blog to GamCare’s attention was not disclosed. Despite the fact that two of the articles from this blog were shown to GamCare in my interview for the role, GamCare had reconsidered after someone had brought it to their attention, and asked me to clear my desk.

Let me say one thing before we get started; this is not a sob story. It was a voluntary role, therefore by definition I haven’t lost out on anything, and neither have GamCare (apart from my time and respect).

GamCare did not state why I had to leave. Presumably, they did not feel they could benefit from someone who has over 5 year’s industry experience. GamCare simply said my blog caused them a lot of issues. One can only speculate what issues these are.  Perhaps the people who pay the wages at GamCare don’t like what I have to say. Incidentally – and totally unrelated – GamCare is funded by voluntary donations by the gambling industry.

During the meeting, GamCare stated that they did not want to be associated with the views on my blog. They did, however, admit that there is a conflict of interest. They said GamCare cannot be critical of the industry.

I, however, can be critical of the industry.

I am critical of GamCare’s source of funding.

I am critical that Neil Goulden, the former Chief Executive of Gala Coral and active Chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers, is also the Chairman of the Responsible Gambling Trust, which is responsible for funding and commissioning research and treatment into problem gambling.

I am critical that Chuka Umunna, Labour shadow business secretary, received a £20,000 gift from Neil Goulden at the same time as campaigning against the proliferation of betting shops in his constituency.

I am critical of the tactics being used by betting shops in order to attract new customers and lure them onto fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBT’s).

I am perhaps most critical of the approach and attitude towards problem gamblers most high street bookmakers have.

While GamCare distance themselves from industry discussion of some of the issues I raise, sacking me for writing this blog actually shows us exactly where they stand on the matter.

Quite simply put: GamCare do not want to bite the hand that feeds.

I want an independent gambling regulator in the UK. One without these clear conflicts of interests. The staff at GamCare cannot be critical of the gambling industry until they are independently funded. While the industry pays the wages, they have control.

As I have mentioned, perhaps the two most controversial articles on this blog were shown to GamCare in my interview for the role. It is not my fault that the articles were not read and understood. In fact, the GamCare office staff have little experience of some of the issue raised in this blog. When I tried, in vain, to instigate some sort of debate in the office on the subject of FOBT’s, no opinion was forthcoming. I am happy to discuss.

There is one thing that confuses me. During my time with GamCare I wrote an article for their BigDeal blog, a campaign set up by GamCare to target the 60,000 young people in the UK with a gambling problem. This particular blog I wrote aimed to highlight the dangers of slot machines. I stated that slot machines are highly addictive and punters are three times more likely to get addicted to them than other methods of gambling. This blog was fine to be published.

However, as soon as I raise similar issues in my own blog, and then back it up with factual evidence of how the industry exploits slot machine players, all of a sudden it is unacceptable to GamCare.

A few weeks ago I defended GamCare from criticism of their ‘double standards’, and said that they need to remain impartial because of their duty of care to problem gamblers. I would like to retract that statement, as I now know who they care about. Perhaps I would feel differently about the gambling industry if they paid my salary.

But hold on, they have paid my wages in the past, and I didn’t feel differently.

It is important to mention that GamCare is a charity and still accept donations. The charity aspect of the organisation is something I wholeheartedly support. The counsellors at GamCare really do care about their job, and their support to problem gamblers is exemplary. Having sat with the counselling team, I can honestly say that they are honest, dedicated and passionate about the treatment of problem gamblers.

The last thing I would want to do is politicise the industry so much that people think twice about ringing organisations, such as GamCare, for support.

It’s just a shame the board members and office workers across the office floor don’t share the counsellors concerns about problem gambling.

It is only until organisation such as GamCare are independently financed and independently run that an open discussion on the betting industry can happen. Instead, people with industry experience will continue to be silenced.

In my time within the betting industry, I have done nothing but care for my customers, and care for problem gamblers. I quit a well-paid manager’s position with Paddy Power as I disagreed with their aggressive targeting of problem gamblers. Now, even more absurdly, I have been sacked from a gambling charity for continuing to raise awareness. The industry has left me with nothing, and they deserve nothing in return.

I urge GamCare to respond to the criticism in this blog, but I know that a response is not forthcoming.