The need for clear regulation and compliance in the premium rate sector was discussed last week at It Could Be You, a boutique event hosted by Million 2-1, the interactive competition, lottery and games company, in partnership with legal firm, Hammonds. 
The event specifically tackled the current regulatory arrangements and, more importantly, the implications of the forthcoming Gambling Act for the premium rate sector. There were contributions from representatives from the mobile, legal, regulatory and broadcast sectors, and the event provided the platform to discuss what companies must do to build a compliant, future-proof business that takes account of the planned changes to the regulatory framework.   
Million 2-1 says that several key themes emerged during the course of the workshop, in particular, the need for a legal and regulatory framework that attributes the compliance roles and responsibilities of service providers and media outlets for premium rate quizzes and competitions; that defines the circumstances under which a competition is classified as a game of skill or a lottery and takes account of abuses of, for example, free entry routes (that currently allow some service providers to avoid game formats being classified as a lottery, a position that is likely to be blocked by the introduction of the gambling act (GA2005) in September 2007; and that protects at all times the interests of consumers so that confidence in these game formats is restored and maintained.
The event included presentations from senior figures in the premium rate value-chain including Chris Sheffield, CEO of Million 2-1, Carl Rohsler, Head of Gambling at  Hammonds, Barry Houlihan, MD of Mobile Interactive Group, and Paul Whiteing, Director of Policy and Innovation for ICSTIS, with a case study presented by Kevin Bird, Commercial Director at UTV.
“Lets not forget that the use of premium rate services is a proven and popular way for consumers to interact with their favourite TV and radio programmes says Million 2-1 Director Scott Davies. As a lottery licence holder, we welcome regulation, and the forthcoming Gambling Act and firmly believe that it will give service providers a clear framework through which to continue to deliver valuable premium rate revenue streams. More than this, we strongly believe that regulation, auditing and transparency will restore fragile consumer confidence in the industry as a whole and allow it to continue to move forward and innovate.”