MP visits Sutton adult gaming centre to discuss safe and responsible gambling

As part of his constituency duties, Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield, was invited to visit Merkur UK’s Sutton site, on Low Street.

Merkur UK operates adult gaming centres throughout the country, with a strong focus on encouraging people to gamble responsibly.

The company has heavily invested in the concept of social responsibility, particularly through its 360 Social Responsibility Programme which provides low-stake, low-prize gaming entertainment.

After meeting with Tony Boulton, Merkur’s UK political and communications director, Mr Anderson said: “It is reassuring to hear Merkur is committed to training its staff properly and ensuring customers game responsibly.

“While gambling can be an enjoyable pastime and a way to relax, it is important businesses play their part in protecting their customers from the real harm the adult gaming industry can present.

“I am glad the Government has established the Gambling White Paper, which sets out a list of proposals and reforms to the gambling sector.

“With the rise of the internet, it is clear the risks of online gambling have increased.

“However, I welcome the work Merkur is doing to protect the people that use its venues and the fact it is putting social responsibility first.”

The Gambling White Paper offers some of the most extensive set of reforms to the gambling sector since the Gambling Act 2005.

A new non-statutory ombudsman will be created in order to deal with disputes, where a customer suffers losses as a result of an operator breaching their social responsibility requirements.

Young people are particularly vulnerable to gambling harms and men are also more likely to gamble than women, with this being most evident online, as 15 per cent of men participate in comparison to 4% of women.

Mr Anderson said: “As some people may know, I have recently been focusing on the issue of men’s mental health and I believe activities such as gambling, when not done responsibly, can have a detrimental impact on men’s lives.

“They can quickly find themselves in great financial difficulty, which can cause an immeasurable amount of stress. We must establish appropriate regulations to prevent scenarios like this.”