Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of current regulatory protections, such as age verification and advertising restrictions, in preventing gambling among young people.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including broadcast, online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. DCMS regularly engages with the ASA to discuss these changes and the impact of the regulations.
In addition, all operators in the UK are required to comply with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which includes new provisions relating to direct marketing and socially responsible promotions and bonuses. The impact of these measures will be assessed in due course.
We are also working with colleagues across Government and other regulators to assess the effectiveness of age assurance tools on online platforms. We are considering a wide range of evidence to ensure children are best protected from gambling related harm.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks governing gambling advertising across broadcast, online, and social media platforms.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including broadcast, online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. DCMS regularly engages with the ASA to discuss these changes and the impact of the regulations.
In addition, all operators in the UK are required to comply with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which includes new provisions relating to direct marketing and socially responsible promotions and bonuses. The impact of these measures will be assessed in due course.
We are also working with colleagues across Government and other regulators to assess the effectiveness of age assurance tools on online platforms. We are considering a wide range of evidence to ensure children are best protected from gambling related harm.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to require gambling operators and online platforms to provide greater transparency regarding how gambling advertisements are targeted and delivered to users.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The advertising codes that apply to all licensed gambling operators state that advertising must not be targeted at children or vulnerable people. The Government welcomes measures implemented by the Gambling Commission which have given customers greater control over the direct marketing they receive, and include further restrictions to make sure bonuses are constructed in a responsible way which does not encourage excessive or harmful gambling.
We will continue to explore whether more can be done to further raise standards in this area, particularly on online platforms.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what obligations adult gaming centre operators have to report (a) antisocial behaviour and (b) violence on their premises to the police.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS and the Gambling Commission do not hold data on the number or nature of police call outs to adult gaming centres.
All licensed gambling operators must uphold the licensing objectives set out in the Gambling Act, which include preventing gambling from being a source of, or associated with, crime or disorder. Licensing authorities are also able to set specific conditions on premises licences to mitigate risks posed by antisocial behaviour and crime, such as enhanced security requirements. Premises licence holders must also conduct a local area risk assessment for each of their premises, which includes risk mitigation related to crime and anti-social behaviour. Additionally, schemes such as Betwatch, a community-based crime prevention scheme, are designed to tackle localised anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around betting shops.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the (a) number and (b) nature of police call outs to adult gaming centres.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS and the Gambling Commission do not hold data on the number or nature of police call outs to adult gaming centres.
All licensed gambling operators must uphold the licensing objectives set out in the Gambling Act, which include preventing gambling from being a source of, or associated with, crime or disorder. Licensing authorities are also able to set specific conditions on premises licences to mitigate risks posed by antisocial behaviour and crime, such as enhanced security requirements. Premises licence holders must also conduct a local area risk assessment for each of their premises, which includes risk mitigation related to crime and anti-social behaviour. Additionally, schemes such as Betwatch, a community-based crime prevention scheme, are designed to tackle localised anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around betting shops.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the outcomes of disputes resolved via Alternative Dispute Resolution bodies in relation to gambling operators are reported to the Gambling Commission.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission must approve all Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers and has set specific additional standards for ADR in its standards and guidance. The Commission expects ADR providers to submit quarterly activity returns to the Gambling Commission, which contain the number of domestic disputes received, and the number and percentage of disputes upheld in favour of the gambling business and the number and percentage of disputes settled by the gambling business without an outcome being imposed. However, the Gambling Commission does not hold data on settlement amounts.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of resolutions to gambling-related disputes via Alternative Dispute Resolution providers result in the complainant receiving a settlement for the full amount lost.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission must approve all Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers and has set specific additional standards for ADR in its standards and guidance. The Commission expects ADR providers to submit quarterly activity returns to the Gambling Commission, which contain the number of domestic disputes received, and the number and percentage of disputes upheld in favour of the gambling business and the number and percentage of disputes settled by the gambling business without an outcome being imposed. However, the Gambling Commission does not hold data on settlement amounts.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 mobile gaming operators disclose the (a) presence of loot boxes and (b) probabilities of obtaining rewards.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to ensuring all video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, appropriate protections are in place for players of all ages, including children. In 2020, the previous Government ran a call for evidence on loot boxes which found an association between purchasing loot boxes and problem gambling behaviours, although research has not established whether a causal link exists.
In response, DCMS convened a Technical Working Group of video game representatives which developed new industry-led guidance, published in July 2023, to improve player protections. Measures include disclosing the presence of loot boxes prior to purchase, and giving clear probability disclosures so players can easily access clear and simple information to inform their decision to purchase.
The Government has urged all video games companies to adopt the guidance in full and we have commissioned independent academic research to assess its effectiveness.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 the regulation of gambling advertising considers the potential impact on public health.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Gambling operators providing services to customers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with the conditions of their operating licences. The Commission expects operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.
Operators must inform the Commission if they have a substantial customer base outside of Britain and state why they consider themselves legally able to offer facilities to those customers. It is for authorities in other jurisdictions to investigate whether operators are complying with their gambling laws, but where a licensee is found to be operating illegally overseas, the Commission may consider their suitability to hold a licence in Britain.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK, and operates independently of the Government. There are a range of robust rules in place through the Advertising Codes enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ensure that gambling advertising and marketing is socially responsible and does not exacerbate harm.
Compliance with the Codes is required as part of Gambling Commission licence conditions. The ASA continually reviews the best available evidence to ensure rules are effective and updates protections as required.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Gambling Commission requires gambling operators to disclose information on their overseas operations in order to gain a UK license.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Gambling operators providing services to customers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with the conditions of their operating licences. The Commission expects operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.
Operators must inform the Commission if they have a substantial customer base outside of Britain and state why they consider themselves legally able to offer facilities to those customers. It is for authorities in other jurisdictions to investigate whether operators are complying with their gambling laws, but where a licensee is found to be operating illegally overseas, the Commission may consider their suitability to hold a licence in Britain.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK, and operates independently of the Government. There are a range of robust rules in place through the Advertising Codes enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ensure that gambling advertising and marketing is socially responsible and does not exacerbate harm.
Compliance with the Codes is required as part of Gambling Commission licence conditions. The ASA continually reviews the best available evidence to ensure rules are effective and updates protections as required.