UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is making reorganisations to his Cabinet at probably the worst time for the country’s gambling industry. Currently, the department that bears the responsibility for overseeing the White Paper on gambling is undergoing some reforms, with one of the strongest supporters of the local gambling sector moving further away.
According to Mr Sunak, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) needs a new direction, which is why it is set to experience some changes. The former boss of the Department, Secretary Michelle Donelan, is set to head the newly-established Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Apart from that, gambling minister Paul Scully, who has been directly involved in the Government’s White Paper, is also moving on under the Prime Minister’s orders and will become part of the DSIT.
As a result of the reshuffling, Lucy Frazer will take over the Department of Culture Media and Sport, becoming the 12th leader of the agency in 13 years. Considering the fact that she represents South East Cambridgeshire, which hosts two horse racing tracks, there is a good chance that Ms Frazer supports the “common sense” approach to the Government’s much-awaited gambling reform.
Such an approach was once promised by Mr Donelan and only last month, the gambling minister confirmed that stance. Now, the industry hopes that Ms Frazer will at least keep an open mind towards the sector.
BGC Hopeful New Gambling Minister Will Take into Account Feedback on Proposed Affordability Checks
The head of the trade body representing the UK gambling industry, Michael Dugher, welcomed Lucy Frazer to the new position, saying that the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) hopes she would take into account the feedback over the controversial affordability checks that have been proposed in the sector.
As previously shared by the Betting and Gaming Council, the potential implementation of mandatory financial checks has already resulted in a decline in customer participation rates registered in the regulated market. According to the trade body, the enforcement of the proposed checks would cause an even greater exodus of customers.
According to market experts, Prime Minister Sunak’s priority is not fully wiping out the identity of the UK gambling sector – he is only trying to get the country away from skyrocketing inflation and recession. This, however, means that some changes will have to be implemented in the Government itself, even if the final objective is not very clear for the time being.
Unfortunately, some analysts remain concerned that the ongoing changes in the Government could affect the timeline for the White Paper of the Government’s gambling review. According to the InstituteForGovernment, both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will face much uncertainty over the upcoming weeks. Experts say that the DCMS will no longer be so focused on digital, but online gambling has become one of the hottest topics in the ongoing gambling reform, which would mean some serious changes for the authorities.
Some politicians, such as Carolyn Harris, a supporter of the planned changes in the gambling sector, do not believe such a thing will happen. Ms Harris explained that Ms Frazer will be given control over the oversight of the White Paper until the end of the inquiry, and the publication of the long-awaited review will probably be one of her most urgent tasks.
- Author
Daniel Williams
