UK gambling minister commits to balanced gambling act review with targeted measures
Paul Scully outlined how the government approached the ongoing Gambling Act review, with the Minister stating Industry interests and reducing harm is “not incompatible”
Gambling Minister Paul Scully has stated gambling harms are an essential consideration in the forthcoming white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review, but regulation needs to be “fair and proportionate”.
Speaking at the charity GambleAware’s annual conference on 7 December, Scully outlined how the government has approached the white paper, stating that the reform would not necessarily be about balancing interests.
Scully said: “Harms, and addiction or problem gambling as a health issue, are essential considerations.
“But we also have to make sure regulation is fair and proportionate and works for the large number of people who gamble without experiencing harm.
“These aren’t incompatible aims; if gambling is to be a pastime that people can enjoy, it must not be dangerous or exploitative,” he added.
The MP for Sutton and Cheam emphasised that the issue of problem gambling in England is a key focus of the review.
He referenced the last Health Survey for England that was published in May, which found that 246,000 people were considered problem gamblers, with a further 1.6 million people at risk of suffering harm.
Scully said: “Our review of the Gambling Act will take action to help prevent these harms, with targeted, proportionate and effective reform.”
However, he also shared how the current UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) rules already operate on a similar level.
He said: “They [UKGC] put in place a wide range of protections for the population as a whole, like specific controls on addictive products and how businesses can operate. There are also specific rules for particular groups, like children.
“And for people suffering harm, who have greater needs, the rules require targeted interventions and particular support.”
Similar to his appearance on the BBC’s Politics Live last week, Scully once again said that the white paper is due in the coming weeks.
It has been two years since the government began its review to make gambling regulation “fit for the digital age”. Scully is the fifth minister in charge of the white paper, taking over from Damian Collins in October.
According to recent reports, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is actively involved in the white paper’s publication and has already given the go-ahead for a number of recommendations before the document is made available for consultation.
Sunak is reportedly set to approve maximum stake limits for online slots of between £2 and £5 and require operators to do “non-intrusive” affordability checks on customers.
Additionally, it’s understood that the white paper will mandate the creation of an impartial ombudsman to resolve customer grievances with online businesses, and, to stop underage gambling, there will be stricter age verification checks.
VIP programmes and football shirt sponsorship agreements are set to continue.