Women expected to wear 'nothing but swimsuits' at gambling industry conference

Sarah Harrison, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, called for an end to sexism in the industry as the ICE Totally Gaming event began

The conference has previously featured women in skimpy outfits in an attempt to attract attendees to companies' stalls (Rex)

Women at the world’s biggest gambling conference in London this week will be expected to wear “nothing more than swimsuits”, the industry regulator has said.

Sarah Harrison, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, called for an end to sexism in the industry on the eve of the ICE Totally Gaming event which begins on Tuesday at the Excel arena.

Ms Harrison warned that the regulator could boycott the event in future unless the way women are treated changes. The conference has previously featured women in skimpy outfits in an attempt to attract attendees to companies’ stalls.

“This is an industry where we have a number of talented, powerful and successful women,” Ms Harrison said. “Yet from walking around the exhibition you wouldn’t know this. Instead you saw men representing their companies wearing expensive tailored suits whilst their female colleagues were expected to wear nothing more than swimsuits. I say bring this to an end now.”

She said such attitudes towards women were a “significant stain on the industry’s reputation”.

The comments come as the role of women hostesses comes under heightened scrutiny following allegations of groping and sexual harassment at the all male Presidents Club dinner.

Last week, the Professional Darts Corporation announced it would end the long-standing practice of employing women to walk with male players to the stage.

Formula One has also ditched “grid girls”; models who stand next to drivers before a race. F1’s American owners, Liberty Media, denounced the practice as “at odds with modern-day societal norms”.

On Monday, F1 said children would instead accompany drivers onto the track, in much the same way that young mascots walk out with footballers before games. The “grid kids” scheme, which will come into effect at F1’s season-opening race in Melbourne next month, will be formed of competitors already in the junior categories of motor racing.