Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the gambling industry on the effectiveness of safer gambling week for reducing gambling harm.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government recognises that while millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences.
The Secretary of State and I recently met with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and other industry representatives to discuss industry-led safer gambling measures and implementation of the gambling white paper. We welcome industry-led initiatives such as Safer Gambling Week. Figures from the BGC indicate that in 2022 Safer Gambling Week messaging made nearly 30 million impressions on social media, and that around 200,000 accounts set deposit limits during that month, with 61 percent of those players setting a limit for the first time. Such limits can be an important measure in preventing harm. We understand safer gambling week has no impact on the volume of marketing (although its content is likely to be different) or game speed.
However, as outlined in the gambling white paper, we are working with the industry, Gambling Commission and others to implement a wide range of proportionate measures to protect customers from practices and products which can drive harm.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the horserace betting levy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department is engaging with representatives of the betting and racing industries and other interested parties as part of our review of the Horserace Betting Levy, which we have committed to undertake by April 2024. The engagement with racing has been channelled through the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in line with racing’s agreed industry strategy and the engagement with betting has been channelled through the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) as the industry body for UK betting and gaming.
In addition to those organisations, I have also met the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the Horse Racing Bettors Forum and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Racing and Bloodstock; and officials have met the UK Tote, the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers and the British Association of Racecourse Bookmakers in the past six months.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate her Department has made of the contribution of gambling and betting activities to the UK economy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government recognises the contribution that the betting and gaming industry makes to the economy. The sector pays approximately £2 billion per year to the government in duties (excluding Lottery Duty), accounted for £5.7 billion or 0.3% of UK Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019, and employed approximately 98,000 people in Great Britain in 2019. While many gambling companies do operate overseas hubs, the jobs in this country are geographically dispersed, with hubs of high skill work in areas like Stoke-on-Trent and Leeds.
The government does not collect affirmative data on the costs of gambling and betting addiction to the UK economy specifically.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate her Department has made of the cost of gambling and betting addiction to the economy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government recognises the contribution that the betting and gaming industry makes to the economy. The sector pays approximately £2 billion per year to the government in duties (excluding Lottery Duty), accounted for £5.7 billion or 0.3% of UK Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019, and employed approximately 98,000 people in Great Britain in 2019. While many gambling companies do operate overseas hubs, the jobs in this country are geographically dispersed, with hubs of high skill work in areas like Stoke-on-Trent and Leeds.
The government does not collect affirmative data on the costs of gambling and betting addiction to the UK economy specifically.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support the promotion of the greyhound racing industry; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government acknowledges the contribution that greyhound racing makes to our economy. There are 21 licensed stadiums in Great Britain, regulated by the main industry regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). The GBGB have estimated that the British greyhound industry employs over 7,000 people across the country, with an annual turnover estimated at £2.6 billion. In 2019/20, betting on greyhound racing raised £35m through the General Betting Duty.
The GBGB receives funds through the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF) in the form of voluntary contributions from bookmakers on betting turnover on licensed greyhound racing. In January 2019 the Government announced that it had secured a new funding commitment from five of the largest online bookmakers, to help ensure the welfare of greyhounds continues to be protected and improved. This was in addition to the existing voluntary payments made to the BGRF from most betting operators that benefit from greyhound racing, which sit alongside commercial deals between the betting and racing industries. In March 2021 the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) announced a further four bookmakers had agreed to begin contributing to the Fund. This means that every member of the BGC who offers bets on greyhound racing now contributes to the Fund.
The government has welcomed the GBGB’s welfare targets, contained in the Greyhound Commitment and its long term, national welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’.
The department has held discussions with the greyhound racing industries on a range of issues and will continue to encourage any remaining bookmakers that have not signed up to the voluntary arrangements to do so.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the impact of the land-based gambling industry on the economy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our gambling white paper set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of gambling in Great Britain. This included a number of measures to adjust outdated and overly restrictive rules to enable the land-based sectors to thrive sustainably. We recognise their contribution to the economy, including provision of employment in coastal towns and across the country.
We are working with the Gambling Commission to bring key measures, including those relating to gaming machines in casinos, arcades and bingo halls, into force as soon as possible. We will consult on details required for implementation this summer. Since publishing the white paper, ministers and officials have engaged with industry representatives across the land-based sector, including the Betting and Gaming Council, British Amusement Catering Trade Association and the Bingo Association.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Gambling White Paper entitled High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published in April 2023, what steps her Department is taking to engage with the land-based gambling industry following the publication of the White Paper.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our gambling white paper set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of gambling in Great Britain. This included a number of measures to adjust outdated and overly restrictive rules to enable the land-based sectors to thrive sustainably. We recognise their contribution to the economy, including provision of employment in coastal towns and across the country.
We are working with the Gambling Commission to bring key measures, including those relating to gaming machines in casinos, arcades and bingo halls, into force as soon as possible. We will consult on details required for implementation this summer. Since publishing the white paper, ministers and officials have engaged with industry representatives across the land-based sector, including the Betting and Gaming Council, British Amusement Catering Trade Association and the Bingo Association.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support the land-based gambling industry.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our gambling white paper set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of gambling in Great Britain. This included a number of measures to adjust outdated and overly restrictive rules to enable the land-based sectors to thrive sustainably. We recognise their contribution to the economy, including provision of employment in coastal towns and across the country.
We are working with the Gambling Commission to bring key measures, including those relating to gaming machines in casinos, arcades and bingo halls, into force as soon as possible. We will consult on details required for implementation this summer. Since publishing the white paper, ministers and officials have engaged with industry representatives across the land-based sector, including the Betting and Gaming Council, British Amusement Catering Trade Association and the Bingo Association.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) size of the gambling black market and (b) annual cost to the Exchequer of Illegal betting.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the contribution that the betting and gaming industry makes to the economy. Estimates indicate that the sector accounted for £5.7 billion or 0.3% of UK Gross Value added (GVA) in 2019 and pays approximately £2 billion per year to the exchequer in gambling duties, excluding Lottery Duty.
The Government’s Review of the Gambling Act 2005 has been looking as part of its broad scope at the size of the black market and how easy illegal websites are to access, as well as whether the Gambling Commission has the powers and resources it needs. We will publish a white paper in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the contribution of the betting and gaming industry to the economy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the contribution that the betting and gaming industry makes to the economy. Estimates indicate that the sector accounted for £5.7 billion or 0.3% of UK Gross Value added (GVA) in 2019 and pays approximately £2 billion per year to the exchequer in gambling duties, excluding Lottery Duty.
The Government’s Review of the Gambling Act 2005 has been looking as part of its broad scope at the size of the black market and how easy illegal websites are to access, as well as whether the Gambling Commission has the powers and resources it needs. We will publish a white paper in the coming weeks.