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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Gambling Commission (a) received any external support or advice and (b) used the same framework for assessment of affordability thresholds as set out in the consultation’s call for evidence ahead of publishing its short survey seeking views on how gambling companies interact with their customers, published on 18 January 2021.

The Gambling Commission’s consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction explores new requirements for operators on identifying and intervening where customers may be at risk of experiencing gambling related harm. It covers a range of issues around identifying consumers in vulnerable situations and assessing affordability.

The Commission is working to obtain a wide range of evidence and will be led by the evidence it receives in deciding how to proceed. It has extended the consultation by a month to allow for more evidence to be submitted. The Commission designed its short survey to be consistent with the main consultation and call for evidence and to give the widest range of stakeholders an opportunity to contribute.