It has been more than 2 years and a half since the Government won the last general election in the UK. At this time, the politicians made a commitment to update local gambling legislation in order to bring the country’s laws into the digital age.
So far, a massive amount of work has been done not only by the Government but also by campaigners, academics, clinicians, parliamentarians, and even the gambling industry in order for a new, evidence-based gambling policy aimed at improving the UK gambling regulatory framework and tackling the gambling-related harm caused to society.
Despite the detailed work done so far to set out a more comprehensive way forward, the past few months have proved that political events in the country could significantly impact the new gambling measures that require decisiveness and strong leadership. The last few weeks have seen the UK Government involved in serious turmoil, which, unfortunately, could seriously affect all the efforts that have been made so far by local lawmakers to come up with an upgraded and more comprehensive gambling regulatory framework.
With Boris Johnson resigning as UK’s Prime Minister on July 7th following the mass resignation of senior Members of Parliament and aides in his own party after a series of scandals and misconduct allegations, it remains unknown when the White Paper of the Government’s gambling review is set to be finally published.
As of 10 AM on July 7th, a total of 59 members of the Conservative Party had quit, many of them realising that their support for Mr Johnson as Prime Minister could lead to the end of their political careers.
Every Day of White Paper’s Delay Costs a Lot of Harm for UK People, Campaigners Warn
The lack of political stability hits various levels, including the gambling sector.
According to experts, problem gambling rates across the country rise and also fuel unemployment, imprisonment, homelessness, alcohol dependency, depression, as well as suicide by every day the much-awaited reform of the UK gambling legislative and regulatory framework is delayed.
Various researchers, behavioural experts and anti-gambling campaigners have been insisting on the implementation of a major reform to make the regulation of the sector more up-to-date, considering the fact that online gambling was not actually a thing at the time when the 2005 Gambling Act was unveiled.
Apart from the moral case for more serious control over the sector, campaigners have also unveiled a strong economic argument. According to a report that Nera Economic Consulting published in 2021, the proposed reforms to the UK gambling laws would bring a net benefit in increased tax revenues and lower expenditures on justice and healthcare to the exchequer.
All of these efforts and the publication of the aforementioned White Paper on gambling reform, however, will almost certainly be delayed as a result of the ongoing chaos in the UK Government. Previously, the lawmakers were expected to make the publication before July 22nd, but now, no projections could be made, especially considering the fact that Gambling Minister Chris Philp was among the 59 who filed their resignations. Although Mr Philp mentioned the white paper in his resignation speech, he did not unveil when the publication is set to be made.
The White Paper is expected to recommend the introduction of the most radical reforms to the UK gambling sector since the country’s Government decided to liberalise its market in 2005, with the industry, which has so far been one of the most liberal regulated markets on a global scale, preparing itself for significant restrictions, especially online.
- Author
Daniel Williams
