Changing The Odds

New Labour's 2005 Act was betting's big bang. Because of this liberalising gambling act the betting business has become a huge success but it's also now one of the country's most controversial industries.

Radio 4 Journalist Lydia Thomas has reported on the industry for over 10 years and teams up with industry insider Stewart Kenny, one of the founders of betting giant Paddy Power to tell the story of how we got here.

Stewart founded Paddy Power in the 80s, and the story of betting's growth mirrors Stewart's personal tale. He tells Lydia how he expanded Paddy Power across Ireland and into the UK, but also his doubts on where the industry was going as it moved online.

Starting in Westminster, Lydia interviews politicians about the how gambling laws couldn't keep up with technological innovations like the iPhone, which brought casinos to every customer's pocket. Tony Blair's failed Super Casino's idea - and the controversial Fixed Odds Betting Terminal; where you could gamble £100 every 2 minutes. The Fixed Odds Betting terminal changed the conversation about gambling, and put betting on the front pages of all the major newspapers, and the non-betting public's consciousness for the first time.

Lydia also investigates the influence of the industry's lobbying on politicians. Whether free gifts and tickets to sporting events really influences policy.

Presented by Lydia Thomas

Produced by Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

The 2005 Gambling Act propelled the UK to become the biggest online gambling market in the world. But what are the consequences?

[LISTEN NOW]

New Labour's 2005 Act was betting's big bang. Because of this liberalising gambling act the betting business has become a huge success but it's also now one of the country's most controversial industries.

Radio 4 Journalist Lydia Thomas has reported on the industry for over 10 years and teams up with industry insider Stewart Kenny, one of the founders of betting giant Paddy Power to tell the story of how we got here.

Stewart founded Paddy Power in the 80s, and the story of betting's growth mirrors Stewart's personal tale. He tells Lydia how he expanded Paddy Power across Ireland and into the UK, but also his doubts on where the industry was going as it moved online.

Starting in Westminster, Lydia interviews politicians about the how gambling laws couldn't keep up with technological innovations like the iPhone, which brought casinos to every customer's pocket. Tony Blair's failed Super Casino's idea - and the controversial Fixed Odds Betting Terminal; where you could gamble £100 every 2 minutes. The Fixed Odds Betting terminal changed the conversation about gambling, and put betting on the front pages of all the major newspapers, and the non-betting public's consciousness for the first time.

Lydia also investigates the influence of the industry's lobbying on politicians. Whether free gifts and tickets to sporting events really influences policy.

Presented by Lydia Thomas

Produced by Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

The 2005 Gambling Act propelled the UK to become the biggest online gambling market in the world. But what are the consequences?

[LISTEN NOW]

When you place a bet online, the chances are it will be processed in Gibraltar - the tiny British overseas territory on the tip of Spain.

Gibraltar is a major hub for gambling firms, and not just because it offers tax breaks. In the 90s the major British betting brands started moving over to Gibraltar, and thanks to low tax, the rise of football and innovations in online betting - Gibraltar is now the centre of innovation and tech in the industry.

In the second episode of Changing the Odds, Lydia Thomas who's reported on the industry for a decade travels to Gibraltar to meet gambling industry innovators and find out how British companies like Skybet, Bet365, Betfred, William Hill and Ladbrokes led the charge in developing online gambling platforms.

Alongside her is Stewart Kenny, who founded Paddy Power in the 80s, he explains how his business saw the potential in online gambling but he started to worry about the impact it might be having on people who had gambling addictions.

British companies led the way in developing online gambling after the 2005 Gambling Act liberalised betting - but what have been the consequences of that Act? Lydia and Stewart investigate the treasure trove of data companies hold on its customers, and how it's used to keep players spending. But, could it have been used to spot potential problem gamblers? Stewart thinks so.

Presenter: Lydia Thomas

Producer: Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

Main Contributor: Stewart Kenny

Assistant Producer: Emma Smith

Technical Producer: Michael Smith

How Gibraltar became the tech, data and innovation capital of the online gambling industry

How the 2005 Gambling Act propelled the UK to become the biggest online gambling market.

Gibraltar is the tech and data hub for the UK's huge betting industry. But how did this British overseas territory become the centre for online gambling?

[LISTEN NOW]

Gibraltar is a major hub for gambling firms, and not just because it offers tax breaks. In the 90s the major British betting brands started moving over to Gibraltar, and thanks to low tax, the rise of football and innovations in online betting- Gibraltar is now the centre of innovation and tech in the industry.

In the second episode of Changing the Odds, Lydia Thomas who's reported on the industry for a decade travels to Gibraltar to meet gambling industry innovators and find out how British companies like Skybet, Bet365, Betfred, William Hill and Ladbrokes led the charge in developing online gambling platforms.

Alongside her is Stewart Kenny, who founded Paddy Power in the 80s, he explains how his business saw the potential in online gambling but he started to worry about the impact it might be having on people who had gambling addictions.

British companies led the way in developing online gambling after the 2005 Gambling Act liberalised betting - but what have been the consequences of that Act? Lydia and Stewart investigate the treasure trove of data companies hold on its customers, and how it's used to keep players spending. But, could it have been used to spot potential problem gamblers? Stewart thinks so.

Presenter: Lydia Thomas

Producer: Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

How Gibraltar became the tech, data and innovation capital of the online gambling industry

Gibraltar is the tech and data hub for the UK's huge betting industry. But how did this British overseas territory become the centre for online gambling?

[LISTEN NOW]

In the third and final episode of Changing the Odds, Lydia Thomas and Stewart Kenny head to Stoke-On Trent to investigate the deep bonds between the city and Bet365, Stoke's major employer.

Lydia Thomas has reported on the online gambling industry for many years, and Stewart Kenny is her guide to how gambling company's work; he founded Paddy Power in the 80s.

Bet365 is a British business success story. An online only betting company, it's been spearheaded by Denise Coates who led it to become one of the best known brands in online betting, with its website not only popular in the UK but also in the United States.

And despite most online betting companies being based offshore, Bet365 stayed in Stoke - employing nearly 10,000 people in high tech graduate jobs. Bet365 also sponsors the football team Stoke City and its sponsorship is on player's shirts and hoardings on the pitch when you watch matches.

But Stoke is also one of the poorest areas in the country, and its population does struggle with gambling addiction. Lydia and Stewart travel to a newly opened NHS Gambling Clinic in the city to hear from addicts, and why a facility like this is needed.

Stewart also opens up to Lydia why he quit the board of Paddy Power, did he do enough while he sat on the board to prevent customers experiencing harm from gambling and how could the industry reverse its reputation and become a betting industry that's safe and fair?

Presenter: Lydia Thomas

Producer: Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

Main Contributor: Stewart Kenny

Assistant Producer: Emma Smith

Technical Producer: Michael Smith

How Stoke-On-Trent has such deep bonds with gambling's big success story: Bet365

How the 2005 Gambling Act propelled the UK to become the biggest online gambling market.

How Stoke-On-Trent and its football club Stoke City has such deep bonds with Bet365, a British business success story and the city's largest private employer.

[LISTEN NOW]

Lydia Thomas has reported on the online gambling industry for many years, and Stewart Kenny is her guide to how gambling company's work; he founded Paddy Power in the 80s.

Bet365 is a British business success story. An online only betting company, it's been spearheaded by Denise Coates who led it to become one of the best known brands in online betting, with its website not only popular in the UK but also in the United States.

And despite most online betting companies being based offshore, Bet365 stayed in Stoke - employing nearly 10,000 people in high tech graduate jobs. Bet365 also sponsors the football team Stoke City and its sponsorship is on player's shirts and hoardings on the pitch when you watch matches.

But Stoke is also one of the poorest areas in the country, and its population does struggle with gambling addiction. Lydia and Stewart travel to a newly opened NHS Gambling Clinic in the city to hear from addicts, and why a facility like this is needed.

Stewart also opens up to Lydia why he quit the board of Paddy Power, did he do enough while he sat on the board to prevent customers experiencing harm from gambling and how could the industry reverse its reputation and become a betting industry that's safe and fair?

Presenter: Lydia Thomas

Producer: Lydia Thomas and Richard McIlroy

How Stoke-On-Trent has such deep bonds with gambling's big success story: Bet365

How Stoke-On-Trent and its football club Stoke City has such deep bonds with Bet365, a British business success story and the city's largest private employer.

[LISTEN NOW]