Daniel Waugh

Get ready for a tidal wave of junk science: the misinformation war on gambling is about to get much worse racingpost.com/news/opinion/c…

On Thursday, the Gambling Commission will cross a line by publishing statistics about problem gambling in Britain in the knowledge that they are from an unreliable survey. In so doing, it may forfeit forever the trust of its licensees… open.substack.com/pub/danwaugh/p…

This is a serious mistake and a sad day for UK punters. These financial checks will end up achieving the exact opposite of what is intended. The GC continues to make betting with licensed operators harder and more intrusive. Is it any surprise that more customers are choosing the black market instead? gamblingcommission.gov.uk/blog/post/fina…

British racing is almost completely ignored in key report - and the damage could be catastrophic racingpost.com/news/opinion/c…

@geoffbanksbet As a result, the market regulator is disseminating unreliable statistics in the knowledge that they will be used to justify increased taxes and tighter controls on licensees. Not for the first time, the Gambling Commission is undermining the legislation it is required to uphold

@geoffbanksbet The Gambling Commission has repeatedly been presented with evidence that shows, beyond reasonable doubt, that its survey is unreliable. It has not disputed the validity of this evidence but nor has it attached to its statistics the warnings that it is required to do.

The Gambling Commission - along with OHID, Dr Wardle and co - appears to think it is acceptable to deceive the public(a widely held view amongst industry experts) because their cause is '' just.'' In fact, it is, quite simply, corrupt

Carlton Marcyan, lawyer, on the Commission's conduct as 'intentional or reckless distortion' Graham White OBE, saying the regulator "made its mind up and then wrote the appreciation to suit its strategy." Andrew Tottenham, noting the caution guidance was relaxed at "a particularly convenient moment" just before the Autumn Budget. "Convenient" implies motive Melanie Woodstock: "in love and war, deception's still deception." Coinslot own editorial. A regulator that selects its evidence to fit its conclusions has "forfeited the right to claim it is acting in the public interest." the Commission "may not give a damn whether it's innocent or guilty, but everyone else does." Banks "I have submitted a complaint. Although I confidently expect the GC to treat it like a consultation. they conduct. They ignore." Waugh "knowingly misrepresented the significance of the LSE/NatCen study" to Government, the OSR and the public. '' Waugh "the GSGB cannot be considered a reliable source of data." A regulator noone trusts. Comfortable with receipt and lies, such as their denial of affordability checks. Now they think they deserve a 30 percent pay hike? Who audits these people? What fines would they levy upon themselves for their continuing shocking behaviour? Their dishonesty?

1. I am not running a 'campaign for more slots'. But I am against tax increases that will led to betting shop closures and a reduction in media rights and levy money for racing. 2. I am not campaigning for the slots on races courses idea Derek Webb discussed with Nick Luck.

@VaughanLewis1 @cleanupgambling Genuinely insane. I always assumed naivete or ignorance when it came to affordability but given that the SMF et al have had their theories shredded and disproven over and over the only explanation now is straight up dishonesty.

That is the entire regulated market - but remember, these people are not anti-gambling…..

@steve_hawkes The SMF claims to not be anti-gambling but has called for higher taxes on bingo clubs, casinos, betting shops, arcades, online betting & online gaming. Its Webb-backed colleagues at CEGA wants to ban all advertising for these businesses plus off-course bookies and lotteries.

The SMF must be under some pressure from donors to turn up the heat - they now want to double another gambling tax, one that will clobber bingo halls, bookies and sports and social clubs

@JonBryanPoker It's impossible to have the requisite level of expertise to be able to opine on such a wide range of issues as listed here. It's been a fatal issue with both Theo Bertram & James Noyes previously when it comes to gambling. Add Richard Hyde & Gideon Salutin to the list.

@SMFthinktank proposals estimated to be a £70m hit to racing. On top of the damage already done. And some were claiming these are friends of racing

How do the SMF's allies in racing feel now? 1 year on from 'axe the racing tax', the Social Market Foundation is back asking for another massive tax increase on gambling. This proposed tax hike will hurt betting shops and racing. theguardian.com/society/2026/j…

@geoffbanksbet "The Gambling Commission is the embodiment of a modern regulatory paradox: more rules, more powers, more intervention—and no convincing evidence of proportionately better results."

My latest article looks at new research which challenges the evidence being collected and used by the UK Gambling Commission slotshawk.com/news/is-the-ga…

'Former Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes’ pivot to private industry consultant should be reviewed urgently by the government and the regulator, according to Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP' next.io/news/people/co…

The evidence is clear that affordability checks don’t work. Punters don’t accept them. They don’t reduce harm. They just move people to the black market. If harm reduction is the real goal, they should be dropped, not paused. They should be replaced with behavioural monitoring and genuine customer transparency tools that actually identify risk.

@RacingTV @GrainneHurst01 @BetGameCouncil @nickluck @WorldPool Scrap them don't pause them. No idea why you see the need to compromise with a drunk on power GC that don't understand gambling.