The Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, will oversee the much-expected review of the country’s Gambling Act of 2005 along with his advisors. According to sources, close to the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson is now adjusting the plans for the review.
Reportedly, the review of the existing gambling legislation is to be led by the Prime Ministers and his advisors. At the time when it made its election promises, the Conservative Party pledged there would be a reform of the industry. Now, The Guardian has reported that Mr Johnson, alongside Munira Mirza and Dominic Cummings, has taken a personal interest in replacing the outdated Gambling Act of 2005 with a new piece of legislation that would more adequately suit the current state of the market. In the past, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that the existing rules were not suitable to serve their purpose, describing the current Gambling Act as an “analogue law in a digital age”.
Rumour has it that the Prime Minister and his advisors are considering to make wholesale changes to the piece of legislation, under which the existing regulations would be updated. According to experts, a ban on gambling advertising in sports will be among the upcoming changes.
House of Lords’ Peer Group Appointed to Review the UK Gambling Industry
As Casino Guardian previously reported, a group of House of Lords’ peers has been entitled to review the country’s gambling sector. They are set to report their findings to the Government.
Lord Forester of Bath is to chair the so-called Peers for Gambling Reform Group (PGR), while vice chairs include Lord Butler, Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Lord Smith of Hindhead and the Bishop of St Albans. The group was formed to help the Government carry out the much-anticipated reform in the UK gambling sector, starting with the reform of the Gambling Act of 2005.
The peer group has already unveiled their top priorities, including implementation of stake and speed-of-play limits for online gambling, ban on direct marketing and inducements in sports betting, ban on gambling sponsorship deals, customer affordability checks, implementation of a mandatory “smart levy” on the gambling sector to fund research, education and treatment of gambling-related harm, proper classification of all new gambling products, changes in high-roller schemes, gambling regulation for loot boxes and in-game items, special gambling addiction treatment system led by the National Health Service (NHS), the establishment of a gambling ombudsman figure, etc.
The chair of the Peers for Gambling Reform Group has already indicated that he and his colleagues are likely to insist on the implementation of stricter rules on the UK gambling industry that will significantly change the sector.
The review of the sector and the Gambling Act of 2005 will also come as part of the Government’s efforts to tackle gambling-related harm. As Casino Guardian previously reported, back in July, the Gambling Select Committee at the House of Lords issued a report called “Gambling Harm – Time for Action”. In the report, the Committee made a total of 66 recommendations, including the establishment of a Gambling Ombudsman Service, new stricter rules for gambling advertising and bringing some changes to the gambling regulatory body.
- Author
Daniel Williams
