The Betting And Gaming Council (BGC) has congratulated the new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on her role but has issued a plea over the upcoming gambling review.
Lizz Truss was appointed the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister this week and recruited a brand-new cabinet, with Michelle Donelan replacing Nadine Dorries as the Secretary of State for DCMS to oversee gambling and the much-delayed 2005 Gambling Act review.
The BGC has congratulated Donelan on her “well-deserved” role but urged her to continue engaging with the gambling industry to find the “right balance” in the upcoming gambling review.
A review of the 2005 Gambling Act was launched in December 2022 by the DCMS, with a white paper planned to release before the end of 2021. The paper was postponed to early 2022 and then delayed to May 2022, with nothing of its release announced since then.
Since the launch of the review, the BGC has issued warnings that strict new rules or restrictions could push UK players towards the illegal black market, which has none of the safety and protection of the regulated UK industry.
Michael Dugher, the BGC Chief Executive, said in a statement: “On behalf of the 119,000 people whose jobs are supported by our members – from the high street to hospitality, from tourism to tech – I’d like to congratulate Michelle Donelan on her new role as Secretary of State for DCMS. Our industry generates £4.5bn in taxes for the Treasury and contributes £7.7bn for the economy in gross value added.
Dugher added: “We have been working extremely closely with the DCMS over many years to help the Government find the right balance in the Gambling Review, so that we continue to drive big changes and higher standards on safer gambling to better protect the most vulnerable, whilst at the same time ensuring that the millions of people who enjoy an occasional flutter perfectly safely and responsibly have the freedom to do so.”
