Recommendations & Conclusions
10 items
6
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 these checks is acceptable for most online gambling customers. The …
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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 these checks is acceptable for most online gambling customers. The Gambling Commission should oversee a pilot of the new system Gambling regulation 59 of checks before it is fully implemented. This should aim to determine customers’ willingness to be subject to the checks, and whether they apply at suitable thresholds.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 progress in the work to develop a single customer view …
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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 progress in the work to develop a single customer view mechanism.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
8
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 in light of further research. In the short term, as …
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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 in light of further research. In the short term, as part of its work on safer gambling messaging, we recommend that the Government consider what point-of-sale information should be provided to customers about the risk of specific products and their design features.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
9
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 risk of harm and will impact only around 1% of …
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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 risk of harm and will impact only around 1% of gamblers. We recommend that stake limits for online slots should match those for electronic gaming machines in land- based venues and not exceed £5.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
14
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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. Though the White Paper’s proposals regarding direct marketing and promotional …
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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. Though the White Paper’s proposals regarding direct marketing and promotional offers are welcome, the Government should have taken a more precautionary approach to gambling advertising in general—particularly to minimise children’s exposure. We do not consider that a complete ban on gambling advertising would be appropriate, but this still leaves scope for further regulation beyond that proposed by the Government.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
15
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 governing bodies of other sports to ensure that the gambling …
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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 governing bodies of other sports to ensure that the gambling sponsorship code of conduct contains provisions reducing the volume of gambling adverts in stadia. The Code should also require that a higher proportion of gambling advertising in stadia is dedicated to independently-developed safer gambling messaging.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
18
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 gambling are appropriate. However, in its response to this report, …
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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 gambling are appropriate. However, in its response to this report, the Government must set out how it and the Gambling Commission will be monitoring the impact of these changes, particularly the increased availability of Category B gaming machines in high street venues, on the risk of gambling harm.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
21
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 it will minimise disruption to services currently funded under the …
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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 it will minimise disruption to services currently funded under the voluntary system during the transition to the statutory levy.
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
26
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
Alongside its new gambling survey, the Gambling Commission should publish clear guidance about the interpretation of official gambling statistics.
Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
27
Recommendation
Second Report - Gambling regulation
Accepted
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 the Gambling Commission will do to continue to develop understanding …
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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 the Gambling Commission will do to continue to develop understanding of the relationship between gambling and suicide. (Paragraph 130) 62 Gambling regulation A Gambling Ombudsman
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Government response AI summary
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.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport