The Racing Post reported that Stuart Andrew, the Sports Minister, is expected to take over as the Gambling Minister from Paul Scully. Andrew’s appointment indicates that the white paper publication process can be restarted, even though the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not yet confirmed it officially.
Scully’s Departure Causes Yet Another Delay of UK Gambling White Paper
The UK government’s proposed reforms for the gambling industry have been met with a series of delays, which have caused widespread frustration amongst industry leaders. The latest delay is due to the fact that the previous Gambling Minister, Paul Scully, has been moved to another department in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent cabinet reshuffle. Scully’s departure is seen as a blow by both the racing and gambling industries, who had found him willing to listen to their concerns.
The newly appointed gambling minister Stuart Andrew, who represents Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough in West Yorkshire, joined the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in September of last year. Despite not having previously expressed his views on gambling or horseracing, Andrew has faced criticism in the past for accepting hospitality worth GBP 1,961 ($2,373) at Wembley for England’s match against Germany in the 2021 European Championships from Paddy Power.
The white paper is expected to address several issues, including affordability checks, a statutory levy on operators to fund research, education and treatment of problem gambling, advertising and sponsorship by gambling companies, and lower stakes for online slot games to reflect those found at physical premises.
The Industry Hopes That New Minister Will Finally Deliver the White Paper
The publication of the white paper on gambling regulation has faced numerous obstacles in the UK political landscape. Initially scheduled for release in the spring of 2022, the resignation of the gambling minister Chris Philp and Boris Johnson’s departure added further uncertainty to the situation.
Liz Truss, the succeeding MP, failed to publish the white paper during her short term in office. As a result, the responsibility eventually fell on Rishi Sunak and his government to finalize the gambling review.
Sunak announced his intention to prioritize the gambling review and take a more innovative approach, despite pushback from industry advocates. However, despite promises from Gambling Minister Paul Scully made in December that the white paper will be published in a few weeks, gambling industry stakeholders are still waiting for it.
With the Easter recess fast approaching, it is hoped that the new Gambling Minister will finally deliver the long-awaited white paper, bringing some much-needed clarity to the UK’s gambling industry.