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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will introduce legislative proposals on limiting the time for which a user can be active on an online gambling site or app.

Online gambling operators are required under the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) to give players the option to set time and spend limits online. The Government is also working with the Gambling Commission on a clear plan to further protect children, young people and the vulnerable as discussed by the Gambling Commission’s review of online gambling in March 2018 (http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/Online-review-March-2018.pdf) and the Government’s response to the consultation of changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures in May 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/707815/Government_response_to_the_consultation_on_proposals_for_changes_to_gaming_machines_and_social_responsibility_measures.pdf )

This will include ensuring operators set limits on consumers’ spending until affordability checks have been conducted; banning operators from providing free-to-play demo games until a consumer’s age has been determined and improving the speed and effectiveness of age verification processes.

Other measures include tackling unacceptable marketing, advertising and unfair terms and improving complaints and dispute procedures and strengthening requirements to interact with consumers who may be experiencing problems with their gambling and looking at the issue of whether gambling on credit cards should continue to be permitted.