Former Entain Executive Slams UK Gambling Commission Over Affordability Checks and Leadership Void

Peter Marcus, a former Global Head of Gaming Operations at Entain, has sharply criticised the UK Gambling Commission's (GC) approach to affordability checks, accusing the regulator of pushing ahead with unworkable measures while ignoring industry feedback and available research.

Ignoring Evidence and Industry Input

Marcus, who was involved in the early development of the new affordability framework, said it became clear from the outset that the proposals were unfeasible. He warned that since Andrew Rhodes stepped down as Chief Executive, the GC has effectively stopped listening to the sector or to data, proceeding with what he described as wilful disregard for the consequences.

He argued that the last two years of research on the topic have been “a waste of time, as the commission has just pushed ahead regardless.” While Marcus expressed support for preventing those who cannot afford to gamble from doing so, he insisted more effective methods exist, pointing to tools from Experian that check whether consumers are defaulting on mortgages or credit cards. “That, in my mind, was the right solution,” he said.

Marcus urged the GC to focus restrictions on customers already showing signs of financial difficulty, and to require documentation only from that group if they wish to wager larger amounts. He noted that the commission has been unable to compel the financial sector to share the necessary data, leading to a workaround that he believes will have a “crippling effect” on large parts of the industry.

The GC has tried to allay concerns by stating the checks would apply to just 0.3% of customers. Marcus dismissed this figure as misleading, pointing out that most UK punters stake only about £10 per month. “We all know the industry is predominantly a high roller industry,” he said, adding that the real impact will fall on the players who generate the bulk of revenue. He warned that the main driver of migration to the black market is being asked for documents, and that the current trajectory risks pushing the UK towards a situation like Germany, where **“around 60% of online gambling” takes place on unlicensed sites.

Leadership Vacuum

Marcus also raised serious concerns about the GC introducing a major policy change without a permanent CEO in place—a successor to Rhodes has yet to be appointed. “How can you possibly have this type of policy coming out without a CEO in place, properly in place, to take full responsibility?” he asked. He contrasted this with the governance of any large PLC, where the board would not allow such significant decisions to be made by an interim leader.

He further warned that the affordability checks, combined with recent tax increases, pile additional pressure on mid-tier and smaller operators, some of which he suspects will struggle to survive.

BGC Voices Similar Objections

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has also pushed back against the new checks. Marcus cited the BGC's voluntary agreement as a more effective alternative for protecting players. BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst expressed “deep disappointment” with the GC's move, stating: “Customers risk being wrongly identified as financially vulnerable based on a system that remains unproven.”

Hurst noted that the GC has yet to publish a full evaluation of its pilot, leaving both the industry and the public without the evidence needed to justify the checks. She argued that the system cannot be described as frictionless if it produces unreliable outcomes or forces customers to provide documents.