The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced its Plan For Jobs scheme, which aims to support the UK economy’s recovery in the wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic by providing 5,000 apprenticeships to young people by 2025.
The initiative was created in support of the UK government’s own Plan for Jobs programme and plans to increase employability among young people, who the BGC said have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
The plan comes as the Government prepares to publish its white paper on the Gambling Act review by the end of 2021.
The BGC, which represents casinos, betting shops and the online gaming sector, said its members currently support 119,000 jobs throughout the UK.
In addition, operators are also partaking in the Government’s Kick Start scheme, to give job opportunities to 16 to 24 year-olds on Universal Credit.
“As the UK emerges from the pandemic, creating more good jobs and training for young people will be more important than ever before,” said Michael Dugher, chief executive of the BGC.
“The Government’s own Plan for Jobs is a fantastic opportunity to create more apprenticeships and traineeships, tackle unemployment, increase productivity plus support British business overseas through Global Britain.”
In July, the BGC called for the establishment of a gambling ombudsman to address customer complaints, a call supported by the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS).
