Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the wider economic effect, other than on gambling industry revenue and player utility, of reducing B2 machine stakes; and if she will make a statement.

The Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures and the impact assessment published alongside the consultation document include qualitative analysis regarding wider economic effects and the impact on individuals and communities. The framework for analysis in the impact assessment takes into account some isolated economic effects in other gambling markets but does not attempt to look at the effects on the rest of the economy (general equilibrium) because doing so would be disproportionate relative to the size of the policy impacts expected. We welcome further evidence on costs and benefits in response to the consultation and an updated impact assessment will be published with the Government’s final proposals.

DCMS will work with HM Treasury to establish fiscal effects as policy is developed. The KPMG report referred to in the impact assessment has not been made public because it was provided by the Association of British Bookmakers in confidence, on the grounds that it contains commercially sensitive information.