A report by the group of MPs has suggested that if the games become
classified as lotteries, they could be forced to give 20% of sales to good
causes.
MPs are very clear on what they would like to see happen in the future,
saying: “We believe that call-TV quiz shows generally look and feel like
gambling. It seems to us that call-TV quiz shows should constitute gaming
under the Gambling Act 2005, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
and the Gambling Commission should consider this as a matter of urgency.” Up
to 1m people a night watch gaming shows, call a premium rate number and
answer a question in the hope of winning sums up to £100,000. The channels
have been criticised for charging 75p for calls from a landline and even
more from a mobile. MPs have suggested that quiz shows should get
third-party approval on all questions or puzzles before broadcast. They also
suggest that there should be an increased transparency about the chances
callers have of getting through to the studio, which is purely a matter of
luck. The committee suggested showing the odds of getting on air should be
shown clearly onscreen and that Icstis, the premium line regulator, should
make broadcasters clearly show how much it is to call the quiz number.
ITV Play was rapped recently for making answers too obscure for viewers to
guess. Ofcom recently ruled that ‘Quizmania’ was in breach of broadcasting
rules when viewers complained that the answer to the question “name
something you would you find in a woman’s handbag” was too obscure. Answers
included rawlplugs and a balaclava. ITV Play looks set to make £20m this
year through quiz show division ITV Play, which runs shows such as ‘The
Mint’. Odds of getting through to the studio are understood to be one in
400.