The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has published a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Statement of Principles aimed at establishing a shared framework for workplace standards across the regulated betting and iGaming sector.
The initiative was released ahead of International Women’s Day, to be celebrated on March 8, and is intended to support consistent approaches to inclusion and employment practices across the industry.
The BGC represents companies responsible for more than 90 percent of the regulated betting and iGaming market in the United Kingdom.
According to the organisation, the DEI statement outlines a set of baseline commitments for members designed to promote fair opportunity, professional conduct and safe working environments throughout the sector.
Principles
The principles emphasise the importance of treating employees and industry participants with dignity and respect, supporting recruitment and career progression processes based on merit, and maintaining workplaces that recognise wellbeing and mental health considerations. The statement also references the importance of legal compliance and responsible operational practices within a regulated iGaming and betting environment.
The council said the principles will be supported through its People’s Forum, a group that brings together representatives from companies across the sector to exchange practical experience and workplace inclusion strategies. The forum will serve as a platform for sharing examples of internal policies and initiatives among companies involved in the iGaming and betting industry.
As part of the initiative, the BGC is conducting a survey of its members to gather data on diversity across the regulated sector.
Understanding
The organisation said the findings will help build a clearer understanding of workforce composition within iGaming industry and identify areas where additional support or guidance may be required.
It said the statement recognises that many organisations already operate established workplace inclusion policies, while others may be at earlier stages of developing formal DEI strategies.
According to the BGC, the principles are intended to provide a common reference point for companies operating within the regulated iGaming sector, while allowing individual organisations to develop policies suited to their own structures and workforces. The organisation said it plans to monitor developments across the sector and highlight examples of progress as companies implement the DEI principles in their operations.
International Women’s Day
Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, 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.
“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.”
