Gambling White Paper Inquiry

Following the publication of the Government’s White Paper on Gambling Regulation ‘High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age’, the Gambling Related Harm APPG has launched a new inquiry. The purpose of this inquiry is to:

  • Assess and analyse the measures in the Government’s White Paper ‘High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age’, and set out recommendations for the government to inform the consultation phase;
  • Hold the Government to account and ensure reforms are taken forward as quickly as possible;
  • Ensure that where commitments have been made in the White Paper to legislate ‘when parliamentary time allows’, that these commitments are taken forward as a priority including the attribution of greater powers to the Gambling Commission to ensure enforcement.

We are welcoming evidence or submissions to the APPG by the 11th July 2023 to inform our thinking and recommendations specifically around:

  • What is the optimal stake limit for harmful online slot content and how online game design should be modified to prevent harm including opt-out deposit limits?
  • How the Statutory Levy should be operated and administered?
  • How should affordability checks be operated and what are the proposed parameters set out by the government?
  • What is the optimal system for data sharing?
  • How an Ombudsman should be operated and administered?
  • What further steps should be taken to protect children and young people from Gambling advertising?

Please send submissions to the inquiry to grh-appguk@dentonsglobaladvisors.com

Work Programme for the Gambling White Paper Inquiry

Session 1: Stake Limits for Online Slots, Online Design Rules and Affordability Limits – Tuesday 4th July 2023 – 1230-1400

  • Mr Derek Webb – Founder of Campaign for Fairer Gambling and former professional Poker Player
  • Mr Stewart Kenny – Co-founder of Stop Gambling Harm and a co-founder of Paddy Power
  • Dr Philip Newall– postdoctoral researcher at Central Queensland University’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory.
  • Mr Matt Zarb-Cousin – Clean Up Gambling

Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 2: Statutory Levy – 18th July 2023 – 1300-1430

  • Dr Matt Gaskell – Clinical Lead & Consultant Psychologist for The NHS Northern Gambling Service
  • Dr Heather Wardle – Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Reader of Sociology and Associate at the School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
  • Professor Henrietta Bowden Jones OBE – National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms and current Vice President of the Royal Society of Medicine
  • James Grimes – Founder, The Big Step
  • Professor Arian Pabst – Deputy Director at National Institute of Economic and Social Research

Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 3: Lived Experience – 5th September 2023 – 1430-1600

  • Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 4: Advertising – 24th October 2023 – 1300-1430

  • Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 5: Affordability – 5th December 2023 – 1430-1600

  • Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 6: Loot Boxes – 15th January 2024 – 1530-1700

  • Minutes will be published shortly.

Session 7: Football and Gambling – 4th March 2024 – 1530-1700

  • Minutes will be published shortly.

AGM – 26th March 2024 – 1130-1200

Session 8: Crypto and Gambling – POSTPONED

  • Witnesses to be announced soon.

Session 9: Football Index – 30th April 2024 – 1430-1600

  • Witnesses to be announced soon.

Session 10: Ombudsman – POSTPONED

  • Witnesses to be announced soon.

Session 11: Minister and the Gambling Commission – POSTPONED

  • Witnesses to be announced soon.

Session 12: Next Steps – POSTPONED

  • Witnesses to be announced soon.