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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with gambling firms on helping to ensure customers are able to withdraw surplus funds from betting accounts in timely way.

The department meets regularly with the gambling industry and its representatives, where this issue has previously been raised.

Data provided to the Commission by some of the largest gambling companies shows that those firms approve, process and fulfil around 99% of customer withdrawal requests within 24 to 48 hours of the request being made. However, problems with withdrawing funds from gambling accounts remain the most common topic raised by people contacting the Gambling Commission’s Contact Centre.

The Commission’s licence conditions and codes of practice contain a number of provisions to ensure operators treat their customers in a fair and open way. It makes clear that any necessary identity verification or anti money laundering checks should take place when funds are deposited rather than when customers try to make withdrawals.