Major in Online Gambling: Jenny Woo Interviews Ray Davies of Isle of Man

I had the chance to sit down with Isle of Man e-Gaming manager, Ray Davies, to talk about the newest e-Gaming program being offered there at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education starting this month. Read my interview to learn more about this course and who it’s offered to.

Jenny:  How long have you been brainstorming on this idea to offer the accredited qualification in e-Gaming program? And what exactly is the course called when someone signs up?

DAVIES:  It was a little over 12 months ago that a suggestion was made to the e-Gaming Team from local industry that it was difficult to employ people with a bespoke e-Gaming qualification. The e-Gaming Team started working with the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education to explore the opportunity of developing a bespoke qualification based on a work-based learning program.

At the moment, the course is only available to people employed within the e-Gaming

Sector and who have a Degree. Depending upon the amount of time they wish to dedicate to the course they can achieve either a Certificate, Diploma or Masters Degree in e-Gaming. A Certificate will require approximately 100 hours learning whilst a Masters would require around 180 hours.

We anticipate that the College launching a Level 3 qualification (equivalent to an A

Level) early in the New Year and following that they will launch a Level 4 (Degree equivalent) BSc in e-Gaming.

JENNY:  What exactly does the course offer?

DAVIES:  To a degree it depends upon what field the student wishes to pursue. For those in Customer Services the modules are tailored to their needs whilst those who ate keen on the technical side can tailor their learning accordingly. Whichever way the student decides to progress though, there are mandatory components, which are core to all of the qualifications.

JENNY:  What are the requirements to take this program?

DAVIES:  Again, the course is only available to those employed within the e-Gaming Sector and who have a degree. When the Level 3 is launched this will provide a gateway for anyone living on the Isle of Man to get into e-Gaming. In order to enroll on the Level 4 course, candidates would be expected to have suitable educational credentials, and the Level 3 of course would provide that.

JENNY:  Do you offer online accreditation?

DAVIES:  No but we are mindful that there are additional delivery mechanisms that we can consider.

JENNY:  What’s the response you’ve received after announcing that this course would be available in January 2013?

DAVIES:  We received a number of enquiries following the announcement but as the Isle fo Man College of Further and Higher Education is administering the course, they may have received additional enquiries.

JENNY:  Do you see others following in your path? And has other Universities contacted you to get more information on this course?

DAVIES:  Where a jurisdiction is seen to innovate, it is natural to believe that other jurisdictions will follow. We have not received any enquiries from other educational facilities but then it is possible that they would make first contact with the College rather than the e- Gaming Team.

JENNY:  It’s been said that there are about 50 e-Gaming companies licensed in the Isle of Man. Do you see more growth as well as at a faster pace after this program gets on the way?

DAVIES:  I am not sure that we will see growth as a direct result of this introduction, and that was not the intention behind it. What we sought to provide is a better educated work-force from which Isle of Man based e-Gaming operators could draw upon when seeking to expand and grow.

We work very closely with our operators to provide them with an environment in which they can flourish, and by providing a well educated work-force we are not only increasing the expertise available but also lowering the cost of doing business here.

JENNY:  You’ve been quoted as saying, “We believe it is the world's first accredited qualification in e-gaming and it delivers a real opportunity to those looking to work within a thriving industry." Do you suggest this course to those who just want to understand e-Gaming on a personal level?

DAVIES:  There are a number of excellent foundation courses currently available on the Isle of Man and indeed further a-field for people who want to gain a better understanding of e-Gaming. A number of our HR Companies provide these and anyone attending one would gain credits towards further study. Whilst it is true to say that anyone wishing to explore e-Gaming would find the Level 3 qualification very interesting it would be most beneficial for those interested in establishing a career in the sector.

Jenny Woo, Gambling911.com Senior International Correspondent