UK select committee investigating government approach to gambling regulation

The committee has suggested that there are signs more protections are needed.

UK.- More than two years after beginning a review of gambling legislation, the UK government has yet to publish its gambling white paper. But an investigation into its approach is already underway.

The timing might seem strange, but the Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) select committee, which scrutinises the department’s work, has announced an inquiry into “the government’s approach to the regulation of gambling”.  The 11-strong cross-party group said it was starting the inquiry because of “warnings that more needs to be done to protect people”.

The committee said: “The DCMS committee inquiry will be investigating the progress the government has made in addressing the issues raised by parliament, how to ensure regulation can keep up with innovations in online gambling and the links between gambling and broadcasting and sport.”

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) welcomed the move, saying that the inquiry would provide “further opportunity for the regulated industry to show our continued commitment to raising standards in safer gambling and to demonstrating our support for the UK economy”.

BGC chair Michael Dugher said: “As the standards body for much of the regulated industry, we strongly welcome this inquiry announced today as a further opportunity for the regulated sector to show our continued commitment to raising standards in safer gambling,” he said.

“I am sure that the committee’s inquiry, like the government’s gambling review, will be genuinely ‘evidence-led’ and has to strike a careful balance in making recommendations that are about protecting the vulnerable, while not unfairly impacting on the millions of customers who bet perfectly safely and responsibly.”

The select committee includes MPs from the Conservative party, Labour party, Scottish National Party and independents. It will receive evidence up until February 10. Meanwhile, the government has said that its gambling white paper, now a year late, will be published in the New Year.

At the start of December, Paul Scully, the minister now responsible, said the paper would be published “in a few weeks,” which is what the government has been saying for months.