Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Gambling Commission since April 2017.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since April 2017, the Gambling Commission’s headcount has increased to maintain its capacity and capability to regulate a growing sector, which is subject to heightened public scrutiny. The Commission has also, like other public bodies, awarded its staff inflationary pay increases which are consistent with the Civil Service Pay Remit. Costs have also increased due to higher statutory pension and National Insurance contributions.
Other factors which have created an increase in employment costs include the Fourth National Lottery Licence competition and transition, and the Commission's delivery of commitments from the 2023 Gambling White Paper
In recent years the Commission has also increased its investment in enforcement and intelligence to tackle illegal gambling, and strengthened its anti-money laundering and sports betting integrity functions.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 76809 on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Public Bodies, how many appointments have been made to each of the respective Boards of her Department's public bodies since July 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since 10 July 2024, 121 regulated appointments and reappointments have been made to the Boards of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s public bodies. This data only includes regulated appointments made to relevant boards as listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council 2019.
Board Name | Number | Board Name | Number |
Advisory Council on National Records and Archives | 8 | National Citizenship Service | 2 |
Arts Council England | 4 | Royal Armouries | 1 |
British Museum | 12 | Royal Museums Greenwich | 3 |
British Tourist Authority | 4 | S4C | 6 |
Charity Commission | 4 | Sport England | 4 |
Departmental Non-Executive Directors | 2 | Sports Ground Safety Authority | 1 |
Historic England | 3 | Tate | 7 |
Historic Royal Palaces | 3 | The National Archives | 3 |
Horniman Museum and Gardens | 3 | The National Lottery Community Fund | 4 |
Horserace Betting Levy Board | 1 | The Royal Parks | 3 |
Imperial War Museum | 4 | Theatres Trust | 4 |
Independent Football Regulator | 3 | Treasure Valuation Committee | 5 |
Museum of the Home | 4 | UK Anti-Doping | 3 |
National Gallery | 4 | UK Sport | 2 |
National Museums Liverpool | 1 | Victoria & Albert Museum | 7 |
National Portrait Gallery | 1 | Visit England Advisory Board | 3 |
Natural History Museum | 2 |
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Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of bookmakers promoting more harmful online gaming products over sports betting as a result of the proposed Remote Betting and Gaming Duty.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three taxes that cover remote gambling, including online gambling, into one. The Government welcomes views from stakeholders as part of the consultation process.
The Government will consider all evidence provided as part of the consultation before taking a final decision on the proposed reform.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Premier League football clubs displaying gambling and betting sponsors, particularly those associated with gambling firms which do not hold a licence to operate in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under current rules, sports organisations who engage in sponsoring and advertising arrangements with unlicensed gambling operators are at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling under section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005. Sports organisations engaging in such arrangements with an unlicensed brand must ensure that online gambling activity for that unlicensed brand is blocked and inaccessible to consumers in Great Britain. Its officers may also be liable to prosecution in certain circumstances. If found guilty, they could face a fine, imprisonment or both.
The Gambling Commission is therefore clear that sports organisations must diligently and continuously ensure that they are not advertising unlawful gambling. In such instances, the Commission will seek assurance from clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their gambling partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed websites. The Commission may also take steps to independently verify effective blocking measures are in place.
We will be working with sport governing bodies to review their gambling sponsorship Codes of Conduct.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what powers the Financial Conduct Authority has to regulate sports spread bets; and whether those powers have changed since the implementation of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) 2000, HM Treasury is responsible for determining the perimeter of financial services regulation, with the approval of Parliament. This is chiefly achieved by specifying the financial services activities that can only be carried out by firms authorised by either the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Prudential Regulation Authority.
It specifies these activities primarily through the Regulated Activities Order (RAO), a piece of subordinate legislation made under powers in FSMA 2000. HM Treasury can bring an activity into the regulatory perimeter by amending the RAO, subject to Parliamentary approval.
The FCA does not itself have the power to bring any activity into the regulatory perimeter or decide what activities are regulated. This has not changed since the implementation of FSMA 2000.
The FCA CEO raised non-financial spread betting in the annual perimeter meeting in July 2023, and noted that the FCA has clarified that non-financial betting products are not financial instruments and not within the FCA’s regulatory perimeter. The minutes are published online at:
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an impact assessment of the decision to allow up to 80 gaming machines in certain casinos.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department has considered the available evidence and a full impact assessment will be published for the measure which allows casinos to site up to 80 gaming machines. The Government’s Better Regulation Framework classifies the sports betting measure as a de minimis measure, and therefore a de minimis assessment will be completed for this measure, although this won’t be published.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an impact assessment of the decision to allow sports betting in all casinos.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department has considered the available evidence and a full impact assessment will be published for the measure which allows casinos to site up to 80 gaming machines. The Government’s Better Regulation Framework classifies the sports betting measure as a de minimis measure, and therefore a de minimis assessment will be completed for this measure, although this won’t be published.
Asked by: Adam Thompson (Labour - Erewash)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the Financial Regulators Complaints Commission report on BetIndex Limited, published on 16 September 2024.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The government recognises the significant impact the collapse of BetIndex Ltd had on former customers.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responded to the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner’s report on BetIndex Ltd, noting that it has already implemented a number of changes that address the Commissioner’s recommendations.
HM Treasury continues to engage with the FCA on issues relating to the FCA’s regulatory perimeter, including sports spread betting.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling, published on 24 October; and what plans they have to respond.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling, without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. We are acutely aware of the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk, and we have noted the Lancet Public Health Commission’s report. We will provide further updates to the House soon.
The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain collects official statistics on gambling behaviour in Great Britain including participation rates of bet in play and participation rates and Problem Gambling Survey Index scores for online instant win games (online and in person), betting on sports and racing (online and in person) and fruit and slots games (online and in person).
The Gambling Commission is responsible for the implementation of a number of the regulatory reforms set out in the white paper, such as introducing new regulations to make online games safer. This has included introducing a limit on spin speeds for online slots games in 2021, with additional rules coming into force from January 2025 to reduce the speed and intensity of online products.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of in-game sports gambling and other high-speed gambling activities.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling, without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. We are acutely aware of the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk, and we have noted the Lancet Public Health Commission’s report. We will provide further updates to the House soon.
The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain collects official statistics on gambling behaviour in Great Britain including participation rates of bet in play and participation rates and Problem Gambling Survey Index scores for online instant win games (online and in person), betting on sports and racing (online and in person) and fruit and slots games (online and in person).
The Gambling Commission is responsible for the implementation of a number of the regulatory reforms set out in the white paper, such as introducing new regulations to make online games safer. This has included introducing a limit on spin speeds for online slots games in 2021, with additional rules coming into force from January 2025 to reduce the speed and intensity of online products.