Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to tackle issues arising from a potential convergence between gaming and gambling.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. We meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and the games industry to discuss a range of issues including concerns around the potential for convergence between gambling and video games.
Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that loot boxes and other entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour or participation in gambling and in the longer term lead to gambling related harm. Our assessment to date is that, while participation rates in gambling are stable, we will continue to look closely at any new evidence around these issues, and in particular where there is evidence of harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission, along with 15 other regulators from Europe and the USA, have agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling. They will also work to raise parental and consumer awareness.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to include policies to protect children from video game features that encourage gambling behaviour in his White Paper on online harms.
Answered by Margot James
The Online Harms White Paper will be published shortly and will set out a range of legislative and non-legislative measures to tackle a range of online harms. DCMS continues to work closely with the games industry and organisations including the Gambling Commission, to improve safety in games and promote healthy and responsible video gaming.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to increase awareness among parents of the potential for some video games to encourage gambling behaviour in children.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. We meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and the games industry to discuss a range of issues including concerns around the potential for convergence between gambling and video games.
Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that loot boxes and other entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour or participation in gambling and in the longer term lead to gambling related harm. Our assessment to date is that, while participation rates in gambling are stable, we will continue to look closely at any new evidence around these issues, and in particular where there is evidence of harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission, along with 15 other regulators from Europe and the USA, have agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling. They will also work to raise parental and consumer awareness.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) of the increased use loot boxes in and (b) other aspects of video games on levels of gambling.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. We meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and the games industry to discuss a range of issues including concerns around the potential for convergence between gambling and video games.
Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that loot boxes and other entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour or participation in gambling and in the longer term lead to gambling related harm. Our assessment to date is that, while participation rates in gambling are stable, we will continue to look closely at any new evidence around these issues, and in particular where there is evidence of harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission, along with 15 other regulators from Europe and the USA, have agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling. They will also work to raise parental and consumer awareness.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish his White Paper on online harms.
Answered by Margot James
The Online Harms White Paper will be published shortly and will set out a range of legislative and non-legislative measures to tackle a range of online harms. DCMS continues to work closely with the games industry and organisations including the Gambling Commission, to improve safety in games and promote healthy and responsible video gaming.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Gambling Commission on (a) the use of loot boxes in video games and (b) concerns that those features encourage gambling behaviour.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. We meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and the games industry to discuss a range of issues including concerns around the potential for convergence between gambling and video games.
Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that loot boxes and other entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour or participation in gambling and in the longer term lead to gambling related harm. Our assessment to date is that, while participation rates in gambling are stable, we will continue to look closely at any new evidence around these issues, and in particular where there is evidence of harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission, along with 15 other regulators from Europe and the USA, have agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling. They will also work to raise parental and consumer awareness.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the video games sector on concerns about the convergence of gaming and gambling.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. We meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and the games industry to discuss a range of issues including concerns around the potential for convergence between gambling and video games.
Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that loot boxes and other entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour or participation in gambling and in the longer term lead to gambling related harm. Our assessment to date is that, while participation rates in gambling are stable, we will continue to look closely at any new evidence around these issues, and in particular where there is evidence of harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission, along with 15 other regulators from Europe and the USA, have agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling. They will also work to raise parental and consumer awareness.