The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has published a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Statement of Principles that solidifies the gambling industry’s commitment to creating fair, respectful and inclusive workplaces.
The Statement of Principles covers four pillars that are considered to be a baseline for all members of the industry.
These include treating all people with dignity and respect; committing to fair opportunities and inclusive practices; supporting wellbeing; and promoting safe, lawful and responsible working.
Grainne Hurst, BGC CEO, said: “International Women’s Day is an important moment to reflect on how we can build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive regulated betting and gaming industry.
“Our sector employs hundreds of thousands of people across shops, offices, technology hubs and customer-facing roles. We have a responsibility to ensure those workplaces are fair, respectful and safe for everyone.
“At the BGC we have strengthened our own policies, including enhanced parental leave, a menopause strategy and expanded mental health and wellbeing support, because we believe leadership means setting the standard.”
The policies promote progression processes based on merit, while removing unnecessary barriers and recognising that not everyone’s route in the industry looks the same.
They also encourage employers to recognise the importance of mental health, flexibility and reasonable adjustments.
Notably, the Principles also emphasise the demands and stress placed on customer-facing and shift-based roles, both of which remain at the core of operations in the gambling industry.
Hurst continued: “Many of our members are already demonstrating leadership in this space, and through this Statement of Principles we are setting a clear baseline for the whole industry.
“By working collaboratively, sharing best practice and holding ourselves to high standards, we can strengthen trust in our sector and create environments where talented people from all backgrounds can thrive.”
As part of its initiative to help players and support education on the black market, the BGC recently released an interactive quiz on illegal casinos.
The experience is free-to-play and includes a list of useful resources and statistics that members of the public may not be aware of regarding the black market and its consequences in the UK.
The BGC will use its People’s Forum to champion these Principles, while releasing a survey with members to build a clearer picture of diversity across the sector
