Stephanie Peacock confirmed as UK gambling minister

The MP for Barnsley South will serve as parliamentary under-secretary of state for sport, gambling and civil society and minister for equalities.

UK.- Labour Barnsley South MP Stephanie Peacock has been named as the new parliamentary under-secretary of state for sport, gambling and civil society and minister for equalities. She will take on responsibility for gambling policy within the Department of Culture, Media and Sport under the new Secretary of State Lisa Nandy.

Peacock was the most likely candidate to take up the role having shadowed Stuart Andrew while Labour was in opposition. Andrew resigned from the position of gambling minister ahead of the election since he was not standing due to his constituency no longer existing.

An MP since June 2017, Peacock served two terms as MP for Barnsley East before her election for Barnsley South this month. She is largely believed to be in agreement with the gambling reforms begun under the previous administration, most of which are now already underway.

A review of the 2005 Gambling Act began back in 2020, but saw various delays as different ministers took over the role. Andrew had finally achieved some stability, with the Gambling White Paper published in April of last year. Measures still to be introduced include a mandatory levy on gambling operators to fund treatment and prevention and financial risk checks, which the Gambling Commission is to pilot from next month.

Writing on X, Peacock said: “It is an honour to have been asked by the prime minister to serve in our new Labour government,”  “Can’t wait to get started in the DCMS with Lisa Nandy.”