Thank you for contacting me about online gambling and financial risk checks.
In the new digital landscape, work is needed to get the balance right between protecting consumer freedoms and protecting people from harm. The Gambling White Paper aims to strike this balance.
Responding to the risks of online gambling, measures include new stake limits for online slots games, associated with large losses and long sessions; background checks to protect those most at risk; plus rules to prevent bonus offers including free bets from harming vulnerable people.
There are proposals to increase protections for young people, who can be particularly vulnerable to gambling harms. This includes closing loopholes so that under-18s cannot gamble online, or via fruit machines which pay out cash.
Regarding affordability checks, the Government is clear that the checks should not overregulate the gambling sector, should not unduly disrupt the millions of people who gamble without suffering harm and should not cause unnecessary damage to sectors which rely on betting - in particular horse racing. I understand these will be implemented to protect those at the greatest risk of gambling harm and to stop potentially devastating and life-changing financial losses. These checks will be based on data sharing and I have been reassured that the Government will not roll them out until it is certain they are frictionless.
Gambling industry regulatory systems will be strengthened so that they work in consumers’ interests. The Gambling Commission will get increased powers to tackle black market operators. A new non-statutory ombudsman will be created to deal with disputes where a customer suffers losses due to an operator breaching their social responsibility requirements.
On horseracing, the Government recognises the unique contribution that the horseracing industry makes to the UK’s sporting culture, and in particular, to the rural economy. Ministers and officials have held regular meetings with both the British Horseracing Authority and the Horserace Betting Levy Board and I understand that the impact of the Gambling White Paper on the horseracing industry will be minimal. There will also be a review into the current horserace betting levy to make certain racing continues to be appropriately funded for the future.
You can read the Minister’s reply to the recent debate, here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-02-26/debates/8860118F-57B3-428D-99CC-D719D3CDEEB4/FinancialRiskChecksForGambling