Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of a) the risks associated with mainstream (i) entertainment brands and (ii) broadcasters distributing gambling (A) advertising and (B) sponsorship and b) the potential impact of this on (1) children and (2) vulnerable audiences.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is clear that wherever gambling advertising appears, it must be socially responsible. There are a number of robust codes in place to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independently of Government. The ASA regularly reviews its codes and guidance to ensure they continue to protect children and vulnerable customers in an evolving advertising landscape. For example, the ASA recently strengthened its guidance on strong appeal to children, which focused on social media and the use of influencers.
Government recognises that more needs to be done, and we have now set the gambling industry a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm. The Government is committed to using the best available evidence on the impact of advertising from a wide range of sources when determining next steps in this space. We will continue to monitor the evidence base and will work with the Gambling Commission and ASA to ensure our advertising regulation regime is fit for purpose.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Premier League’s Code of Conduct for Gambling Related Agreements in football in reducing gambling-related harm.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All major sports have now published their gambling sponsorship Codes of Conduct which set minimum standards to ensure arrangements are socially responsible. We are working closely with sports bodies, including the Premier League, to review the implementation and impact of these Codes of Conduct. This review will provide key evidence to inform the most appropriate next steps for gambling sponsorship policy.
The Premier League’s decision to ban front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling firms will commence after the end of the 2025/26 season and we will also assess the impact of this measure in due course.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Gambling Commission on the potential merits of signposting gambling support services within National Lottery (a) advertising and (b) products.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers and officials regularly engage with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues related to gambling regulation and player protection. This engagement includes ensuring the National Lottery operates in a socially responsible manner and that appropriate measures are in place to support those who may be experiencing gambling-related harm.
DCMS is also developing a new, evidence-based model for independently developed safer gambling messaging in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care and Gambling Commission.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of (a) the UK’s international standing on regulation of gambling advertising and (b) what lessons the UK can learn from other countries on this subject.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to utilising the best available evidence to inform its gambling advertising policy. This includes regularly reviewing the impact of gambling advertising regulation in other jurisdictions and how it may or may not be appropriate for the UK, considering our existing regulatory framework and market structure.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the responsibilities of the Freelance Champion will include (a) evidence generation, (b) policy leadership and (c) sector engagement.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion in 2025, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
We have been working closely with industry through a working group of the Creative Industries Council to inform the role's remit. This group developed a draft Terms of Reference, which outlines what industry would like to see from the role including commissioning and/or informing data and evidence gathering on creative industries freelancers; establishing mechanisms to give creative freelancers voice within government policy discussions; and working with a representative cross-section of creative industries stakeholders. We will use this work to inform the role specification prior to appointment.
It is important that the appointee is able to establish their priorities upon appointment, and we expect them to develop a workplan in the initial months of their appointment to address these priorities. The postholder will engage and work closely with the sector, and with ministers and government officials to represent the experiences of creative freelancers, and to build awareness of key rights, responsibilities, and resources among freelancers and their contractors.
We will make an appointment in the coming months.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to appoint a Freelance Champion before or after the terms of reference for the role have been established.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion in 2025, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
We have been working closely with industry through a working group of the Creative Industries Council to inform the role's remit. This group developed a draft Terms of Reference, which outlines what industry would like to see from the role including commissioning and/or informing data and evidence gathering on creative industries freelancers; establishing mechanisms to give creative freelancers voice within government policy discussions; and working with a representative cross-section of creative industries stakeholders. We will use this work to inform the role specification prior to appointment.
It is important that the appointee is able to establish their priorities upon appointment, and we expect them to develop a workplan in the initial months of their appointment to address these priorities. The postholder will engage and work closely with the sector, and with ministers and government officials to represent the experiences of creative freelancers, and to build awareness of key rights, responsibilities, and resources among freelancers and their contractors.
We will make an appointment in the coming months.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to release further information on the appointment process for the Freelance Champion.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion in 2025, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
We have been working closely with industry through a working group of the Creative Industries Council to inform the role's remit. This group developed a draft Terms of Reference, which outlines what industry would like to see from the role including commissioning and/or informing data and evidence gathering on creative industries freelancers; establishing mechanisms to give creative freelancers voice within government policy discussions; and working with a representative cross-section of creative industries stakeholders. We will use this work to inform the role specification prior to appointment.
It is important that the appointee is able to establish their priorities upon appointment, and we expect them to develop a workplan in the initial months of their appointment to address these priorities. The postholder will engage and work closely with the sector, and with ministers and government officials to represent the experiences of creative freelancers, and to build awareness of key rights, responsibilities, and resources among freelancers and their contractors.
We will make an appointment in the coming months.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the responsibilities of a Freelance Champion.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion in 2025, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
We have been working closely with industry through a working group of the Creative Industries Council to inform the role's remit. This group developed a draft Terms of Reference, which outlines what industry would like to see from the role including commissioning and/or informing data and evidence gathering on creative industries freelancers; establishing mechanisms to give creative freelancers voice within government policy discussions; and working with a representative cross-section of creative industries stakeholders. We will use this work to inform the role specification prior to appointment.
It is important that the appointee is able to establish their priorities upon appointment, and we expect them to develop a workplan in the initial months of their appointment to address these priorities. The postholder will engage and work closely with the sector, and with ministers and government officials to represent the experiences of creative freelancers, and to build awareness of key rights, responsibilities, and resources among freelancers and their contractors.
We will make an appointment in the coming months.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that gambling (a) advertisements and (b) products are not directed at (i) children and (ii) young people.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
To improve and expand the services available to understand, tackle and treat gambling-related harm, the Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research, prevention and treatment. This includes dedicated investment for prevention to raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling and facilitating a cultural shift to break down barriers to help-seeking behaviour such as stigma. Thirty percent of funding will be allocated to prevention activity, including education and early intervention, to help raise awareness of harmful gambling.
There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons. Adverts cannot be targeted towards children, feature those under 25 or those who are perceived as being under 25, and top-flight footballers and celebrities popular with children are also banned from adverts to ensure they do not have inappropriate appeal. The IGRG Code includes specific requirements for operators to include ‘GambleAware’ or ‘www.gambleaware.org’ in their advertisements.
However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely. Additionally, there is ongoing work with DHSC and the Gambling Commission to develop a new, evidence-based model for independently developed messages to increase awareness of gambling harms, replacing industry ownership of safer gambling messaging.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that gambling (a) advertisements and (b) websites provide reference to gambling addiction support platforms.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
To improve and expand the services available to understand, tackle and treat gambling-related harm, the Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research, prevention and treatment. This includes dedicated investment for prevention to raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling and facilitating a cultural shift to break down barriers to help-seeking behaviour such as stigma. Thirty percent of funding will be allocated to prevention activity, including education and early intervention, to help raise awareness of harmful gambling.
There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons. Adverts cannot be targeted towards children, feature those under 25 or those who are perceived as being under 25, and top-flight footballers and celebrities popular with children are also banned from adverts to ensure they do not have inappropriate appeal. The IGRG Code includes specific requirements for operators to include ‘GambleAware’ or ‘www.gambleaware.org’ in their advertisements.
However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely. Additionally, there is ongoing work with DHSC and the Gambling Commission to develop a new, evidence-based model for independently developed messages to increase awareness of gambling harms, replacing industry ownership of safer gambling messaging.