Fylde MP, Mark Menzies MP has backed a Government White Paper which seeks to reform the gambling industry and address growing numbers of problem gamblers. Concerns around gambling have heightened over recent years due to the rise of online gambling, which lacks many of the safeguards introduced in regulations on betting shops, arcades, and casinos.
Seeking to address these issues, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport has confirmed that proposals include clamping down high-speed games, which have seen users rapidly accumulate losses, in addition to data sharing reforms that seek to prevent high risk customers switching between accounts, new restrictions on the use of customer bonuses and tighter age verification rules.
The White Paper reforms are set to be backed by the creation of a new ombudsman and Mr Menzies, who is Vice Chair and an active member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm, said
“This really is a momentous day. Gambling related harms have become an increasing concern of mine in recent years, whether that be around advertising or the ease with which large sums can be lost online through means ranging from sports betting to lotteries or online casino style games.
Legislation dating from 2005 is simply unable to meet the challenges posed by the changes we have seen over the past 18 years. The internet and smart phones having revolutionised this industry and brought with them an entirely new set of dangers for customers at risk of exploitation”
Losses from online gambling have been found to be concentrated in the most deprived areas, with a GambleAware report from 2022 showing that the poorest fifth of UK regions supplying a quarter of industry revenues. To combat this, the Government has proposed new online stake limits (ranging between £2 and £15) and affordability checks, two moves previously resisted by the industry, but which have been welcomed by Mr Menzies,
“I am by no means anti-gambling. The vast majority of people who enjoy gambling are able to do so in a casual and affordable way. This is very much about ensuring that an industry, which generates over £14bn per year, is properly regulated and gives a little bit back to support and protect the over 250,000 people considered to be problem gamblers”
“More work needs to be done to fully understand the impact of these harms and it is really positive that a new mandatory levy will be introduced on the industry to fund this research, pursuing the ‘polluter pays’ approach that my colleagues in the APPG on Gambling Harm and I have long called for.”
“It is right that the measures will now be consulted upon, but we need to see a quick process that avoids unnecessary delay. People’s financial, mental, and personal wellbeing are quite literally at stake”