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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to reduce gambling related harm.

Millions of people gamble as a leisure pursuit without suffering harm but in recognition of the risk that gambling can carry, the sector is strongly regulated. The Gambling Commission has broad and flexible powers to set licence conditions and take action where there is evidence of harm.

In May 2018 the government published the response to the consultation on Proposals for Changes to Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures and as a result the maximum stake on B2 machines was cut from £100 to £2 in April this year. In addition, the Gambling Commission has tightened identity and age verification controls online and introduced tougher sanctions for breaches of advertising codes, and is currently consulting on whether gambling with credit cards online should be restricted or banned. A multi-million pound safer gambling advertising campaign, Bet Regret, was launched in February this year, aimed at reducing risky and impulsive gambling.