Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to ringfence revenue from the levy on fixed odds betting terminals to fund treatment for problem gamblers.

At Budget 2014 the government announced that, from March 2015, a new higher rate of machine games duty (MGD) at 25% will be introduced for gaming machines where the charge payable for playing can exceed £5. MGD receipts go to the Consolidated Fund. This allows the government to allocate resources most efficiently across the economy.

The Responsible Gambling Trust (which is funded by the gambling industry and further donations) expects to distribute £6,292,000 on treatment, education and research in 2014/15. This provides funding to specialist charities, such as GamCare, which provide gambling addiction treatment.