Gambling regulation
Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Closed
Inquiry
MPs are to examine the Government’s approach to the regulation of gambling, following warnings that more needs to be done to protect people, including children, from gambling-related harm. The DCMS Committee inquiry will be investigating the progress the Government has made in addressing the issues raised by Parliament, how to …
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23
Recommendations
5
Conclusions
1
Report
4
Oral sessions
14
Letters
4
Events
Activity timeline 24 events
21 May
2024
2024
19 Apr
2024
2024
21 Feb
2024
2024
6 Feb
2024
2024
21 Dec
2023
2023
Report published
13 Dec
2023
2023
12 Dec
2023
2023
21 Nov
2023
2023
14 Nov
2023
2023
18 Oct
2023
2023
19 Sep
2023
2023
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
5 Sep 2023
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Andrew Rhodes · Gambling Commission
Ben Dean · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Sarah Gardner · Gambling Commission
Tim Miller · Gambling Commission
18 Jul 2023
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Charles Ritchie · Gambling with Lives
Dr James Noyes · Social Market Foundation
Dr Matthew Gaskell · NHS Northern Gambling Service
Professor Heather Wardle · University of Glasgow
Will Prochaska · Gambling with Lives
11 Jul 2023
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John White · Bacta
Michael Dugher · Betting and Gaming Council
Miles Baron · Bingo Association
Wes Himes · Betting and Gaming Council
16 May 2023
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Anna Hargrave · GambleAware
Anna Hemmings · GamCare
Matthew Hickey · Gordon Moody
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second Report - Gambling regulation | HC 176 | 21 Dec 2023 | 28 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
10 results
6
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Oversee a pilot of new financial risk checks to determine customer acceptability and thresholds
While we support the principle of financial risk checks, the Government must ensure they are minimally intrusive, and that customers’ financial data are properly protected. The Government and the Gambling Commission must also establish what level of “friction” involved in …
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Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to a proportionate and frictionless system for financial risk checks with data protection. They confirm the Gambling Commission will undertake a pilot for enhanced risk assessments to refine data-sharing processes and inform final thresholds.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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7
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Require Government and Gambling Commission to detail progress on single customer view mechanism
Financial risk checks will only be fully effective in preventing harm when they work across all online operators with whom a customer has an account. In its response to this report, the Government and the Gambling Commission must set out …
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Government Response
The government and Gambling Commission agree on the need for a single customer view and are progressing an industry-led pilot scheme called GamProtect, which has been operational since February 2023 and rolled out to additional operators in April 2024 to share high-risk player data.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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8
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Require Government to consider point-of-sale risk information for online gambling products
We support the White Paper’s proposals to make online gambling products safer by design. Improving understanding of what affects products’ risk of harm should be a priority, and Government should keep its position on a safety testing regime under review …
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Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating that the Department of Health and Social Care has initiated a review to develop a robust new approach to informational messaging throughout the user journey, including at the point-of-sale.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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9
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Set online slots stake limits to match land-based machines and not exceed £5
The high degree of accessibility of online slots negates the additional protection provided by account-based play. Setting a limit for online slots at the same level as Category B gaming machines, at between £2 and £5, takes account of the …
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Government Response
The government has confirmed the introduction of statutory maximum stake limits of £5 per spin for adults over 25 and £2 per spin for young adults aged 18-24, aligning with the committee's recommendation. These limits will take effect in September via new licence conditions.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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14
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Implement further regulation on gambling advertising beyond current government proposals
While the existing evidence base does not show a causative link between gambling advertising and harm, it seems clear that advertising encourages participation in gambling and that this effect is more pronounced for children and those vulnerable to gambling harm. …
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Government Response
The government acknowledged the need for continued action on advertising, referring to existing White Paper proposals and Betting and Gaming Council commitments, such as 20% safer gambling messaging and 25+ age targeting for digital ads.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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15
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Require gambling sponsorship code to reduce adverts and mandate more safer gambling messaging.
The withdrawal of gambling sponsorship from the front of Premier League players’ kit is welcome, but it will not significantly reduce the volume of gambling adverts visible during top-flight matches. The Government must work with the Premier League and the …
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Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, confirming the finalised cross-sport gambling sponsorship Code of Conduct stipulates that a proportion of in-stadia sponsorship inventory will be used for dedicated safer gambling messaging, with arrangements due ahead of next season.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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18
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Require Government and Commission to publish monitoring plan for land-based gambling reform impacts.
The accessibility of online gambling means that some of the supply-level restrictions on the land-based sector are less relevant than when the Gambling Act 2005 was passed. The Committee therefore considers that the White Paper’s proposed reforms to modernise land-based …
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Government Response
The government commits to monitoring the impact of changes to the land-based sector, particularly Category B machines, by using regular Gambling Commission statistics, continuing to collect in-depth data from industry on player behaviour, and leveraging the Commission's stakeholder engagement and compliance assessments.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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21
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Publish timetable for White Paper proposals delivery, including statutory levy and minimising transition disruption.
We reaffirm our recommendation for the Government to set out a timetable for the delivery of each of the White Paper’s main proposals, including implementation of the statutory levy, in response to this report. The Government should set out how …
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Government Response
The government will publish its statutory levy consultation response soon, aiming to introduce the levy via secondary legislation by summer, with funding flowing thereafter. GambleAware has received £32 million in regulatory settlement funds, including a system stabilisation fund, to minimise disruption during the transition.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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26
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Publish clear guidance on interpreting official gambling statistics alongside new survey
Alongside its new gambling survey, the Gambling Commission should publish clear guidance about the interpretation of official gambling statistics.
Government Response
The Gambling Commission has published initial GSGB data and will publish several technical documents alongside it, including a report on strengths/limitations, a statement on official statistics confidence, and guidance on how these statistics should be used.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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27
Recommendation
Accepted
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Provide clear action plan to develop understanding of gambling's relationship with suicide risk
We welcome that the Government’s suicide prevention strategy for England recognises the role harmful gambling can play in suicide risk. In its response to this report, the Government should provide us with a clear action plan on what it and …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges the link between harmful gambling and suicide risk, outlining a range of activities including strengthening informational messaging, increasing investment in independent research through the statutory levy, and requiring gambling operators to notify the Gambling Commission of customer suicides to inform policy.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Correspondence 14 letters
21 May 2024
To committee
Letter from Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, relating to Measures relating to the land-based gambling sector, dated 15 May 2024
Parliament page
21 Feb 2024
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Lord Foster of Bath, Chair, Peers for Gambling Reform, relating to Gambling regulation Report, dated 6 February 2024
Parliament page
6 Feb 2024
To committee
Letter from Carolyn Harris MP, Chair, APPG for Gambling Related Harm, relating to Gambling regulation Report, dated 31 January 2024
Parliament page
13 Dec 2023
To committee
Letter from Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive, Gambling Commission, relating to Gambling Act Review update, dated 29 November 2023
Parliament page
12 Dec 2023
To committee
Letter from Michael Dugher, Chief Executive, Betting and Gaming Council, relating to Gambling and the Premier League, dated 16 October 2023
Parliament page
21 Nov 2023
To committee
Letter from Dan Waugh, Partner, Regulus Partners, relating to statistics on gambling and suicide, dated 28 October 2023
Parliament page
14 Nov 2023
To committee
Letter from Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive, GambleAware, relating to oral evidence, dated 10 November 2023
Parliament page
18 Oct 2023
To committee
Letter from Charles Ritchie MBE, Co-founder and Co-Chair, Gambling with Lives, relating to Gambling oral evidence, dated 30 September 2023
Parliament page
19 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive, Ygam, relating to Gambling oral evidence, dated 14 September 2023
Parliament page
12 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, relating to oral evidence session on 5 September 2023, dated 8 September 2023
Parliament page
5 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Charles Ritchie MBE, Co-founder and Co-Chair, Gambling with Lives, relating to oral evidence follow-up, dated 15 August 2023
Parliament page
5 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Julie Bentley, Chief Executive, Samaritans, relating to oral evidence from Betting and Gaming Council on 11 July 2023, dated 17 August 2023
Parliament page
5 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive, Gambling Commission, relating to Misuse of gambling statistics, dated 29 August 2023
Parliament page
5 Sep 2023
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, relating to Gambling White Paper Implementation, dated 26 July 2023
Parliament page