The Red Tape Challenge

Gambling industries will have a chance to declare war on the rules and red tape that are hurting their businesses. They will have three weeks to a name and shame regulations they want to see scrapped that are stifling their chances of success through a website that has been set up.

The website gives the gambling operators an opportunity to target regulations covering the rules on gambling premises. The Minister will have to justify each rule when the case of their existence cannot be justified and consign it them to the scrapheap. The site will allow the gambling businesses to solve issues without interfering Government regulations.

Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Park and Peter Hannibal, gambling and leisure consultant and will champion the Government’s war on the rules. Hannibal was a former Director of Electronic Gaming at Gala Coral.

CEO of BISL, Simon Johnson, commented: "I'm delighted that Peter has been invited to champion what is a really important issue for our members and the gambling industry at large. With a detailed and hands-on knowledge of the industry gained working with a range of gambling organisations of all sizes, he is ideally qualified to represent the sector."

Tourism Minister John Penrose said: “Cutting through red tape is an absolute priority for this government and central to our plans to encourage growth. The website being launched today is a really effective and simple way for those within the sport, gambling, heritage and lottery sectors to have their say on the rules and regulations they would like consigned to the scrapheap.

“I’ve no doubt our sector champions Shaun Dawson and Peter Hannibal will also be crucial in taking this work forward and I’m grateful to them for their help on this challenge. I would urge everyone with an interest in these varied industries to have their say.”