Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Gambling Commission to ensure their consultation on remote customer interaction is considered in parallel with the Government’s Review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Data released by the Gambling Commission in May 2020 suggested that the scale of the black market had remained low and stable, with little variation in the number of complaints it had received about illegal gambling websites over the previous 12 months. The Commission’s enforcement approach includes working with web hosting companies and search engines to remove sites or prevent them appearing on searches, and working with payment providers to prevent payments to unlicensed operators. It also has powers to prosecute or refer issues to partner agencies such as HMRC where necessary.
The government’s Review of the Gambling Act 2005 has called for evidence on issues around unlicensed gambling, and we are aware of the recent report commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council. We are also consulting on a proposed uplift to Gambling Commission licence fees, which will strengthen the resources it has to identify the scale of and tackle illegal gambling.
The Gambling Commission requires operators to monitor play and to intervene where players may be at risk of harm. Its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction is considering whether further requirements are needed for how operators identify and interact with customers who may be at risk.
The Commission will be led by the evidence it receives in deciding its next steps, and its findings may also inform its advice to government on the Gambling Act Review. Following a one month extension to allow extra evidence to be submitted, the deadline for submissions is now 9 February.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to consider the Gambling Commission’s consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction as part of the Government's wider review of the Gambling Act 2005; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Gambling Commission requires operators to monitor play and to intervene where players may be at risk of harm. Its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction is considering whether further requirements are needed for how operators identify and interact with customers who may be at risk.
The Commission will be led by the evidence it receives in deciding its next steps, and its findings may also inform its advice to government on the Review of the Gambling Act 2005. Following a one month extension to allow extra evidence to be submitted, the deadline for submissions is now 9 February.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the relationship is between the Gambling Commission's consultation on Remote customer interaction and the Government's recently announced review the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government has announced a review of the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure it is fit for the digital age. As set out in the Call for Evidence which launched on December 8, technology can play a role in helping operators identify customers at risk of harm and targeting interventions. While many online operators already use technology for this purpose, we are calling for evidence on the effectiveness of existing online protections in preventing gambling harms, and this will include a consideration of whether and how technology can be better used to that end.
The Call for Evidence will be open until 31 March 2021, and further details, including how to make a contribution, can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-gambling-act-2005-terms-of-reference-and-call-for-evidence/review-of-the-gambling-act-2005-terms-of-reference-and-call-for-evidence.
The work of the Gambling Commission as industry regulator continues alongside the Review. Its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction covers issues of identifying consumers in vulnerable situations and assessing affordability, and calls for views on how to balance consumer protections and consumer freedom. The consultation and call for evidence responses will inform the Commission’s next steps for setting Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and may also inform its advice to government on the Review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the level of online gambling losses was in each month from April to October 2020.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
In April last year, I wrote to gambling operators and asked them to prioritise sharing regular and up-to-date data with the Gambling Commision to help us understand the impact of Covid restrictions on gambling behaviours. Since then, the Commission has collected, analysed and published this data every month, alongside other insights into the impact of Covid-19 such as consumer surveys. The most recent update, covering March 2020 through to October 2020, can be found here:
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on trends in the level of participation in online gambling; and what recent steps his Department has taken to help reduce gambling related harm.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Since March, the Gambling Commission has collected and published monthly data from operators alongside regular consumer survey data to understand the impact of covid restrictions on gambling behaviours. Data from online operators representing about 80% of the market showed a significant fall in overall online gambling participation during the early months of the pandemic, with 25% fewer active players across all types of online gambling combined in May 2020 than there had been in March 2020. Participation increased again as restrictions were eased. In October 2020 there were 3% fewer active players across all types of online gambling combined than March 2020 (note that players may be active in more than one type of gambling).
Consumer survey data has also shown that the majority of people spent less or the same on gambling during Covid-19 as they did previously, and people were more likely to report that they had stopped gambling than started for the first time. The latest figures from the Gambling Commission are available at: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/News/data-shows-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-gambling-behaviour-in-october-2020
The government has worked closely with the Gambling Commision to take steps to reduce gambling related harm. In April, we banned gambling on credit cards and mandated integration with GAMSTOP (the national online self exclusion scheme). The Commission also directed £8.8 million to GambleAware to ensure its treatment services could continue uninterrupted. In May, tough new rules were introduced for online operators, in response to the potential for pandemic restrictions to increase the risk of gambling harm. New rules on VIP schemes came into force in October, and the Commission will respond to a consultation on new rules for online slots game design early next year.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support is available for vulnerable gamblers to protect them from excessive online gambling during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Gambling operators providing facilities to customers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and must abide by its player protection requirements. In response to the Covid outbreak, the Commission issued additional guidance for online operators to mandate increased customer interactions, a ban on direct marketing of bonus offers or promotions to customers showing signs of vulnerability, and a ban on operators allowing customers to reverse decisions to withdraw winnings. Data published by the Gambling Commission in November found that since the first national lockdown began, the majority (86%) of those surveyed had gambled the same amount or less than they had previously.
Support and treatment services for people experiencing gambling problems have remained available throughout the Covid 19 period. These include the National Gambling Helpline and counselling services delivered by GamCare and other third sector providers, the NHS specialist gambling clinic in London and the NHS Northern Gambling Service. In April the Gambling Commission directed £8.8 million of regulatory settlement funds to commissioning charity GambleAware to support third sector treatment provision during Covid 19. Other avenues for support such as gambling self exclusion tools and opt-in gambling transaction blocks with banks have also remained available throughout the pandemic.
The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. The Review will be wide-ranging and evidence led, and aims to make sure that the regulation of gambling is fit for the digital age. The Call for Evidence will be open for 16 weeks until 31 March 2021, and further detail, including how to make a contribution, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-gambling-act-2005-terms-of-reference-and-call-for-evidence/review-of-the-gambling-act-2005-terms-of-reference-and-call-for-evidence.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of teaching about the risks of gambling and gambling-related harm in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education wants to equip young people for adult life and help them make a positive contribution to society. The new subjects of relationships, sex and health education will support all young people in managing risk and making informed decisions, including in key areas such as mental wellbeing and online behaviour. For example, under the topic of internet safety and harms, the guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them, and how to be a discerning consumer of information online. The statutory guidance for the new subjects is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
Other National Curriculum subjects, such as citizenship and computing, can also address online gambling and its dangers. This could be through developing the financial literacy of young people, and by highlighting the dangers of online gambling whilst using digital platforms (such as gambling opportunities introduced within computer games, and in-app games/purchases, for example “loot boxes”) in their e-safety teaching.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, meets regularly with cabinet colleagues to discuss the Department's agenda. This includes relevant topics covered by the new subjects. The Department has worked with other government departments, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in developing the content for the new curriculum subjects which are being taught in schools from this academic year.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on teaching the risks of gambling in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education wants to equip young people for adult life and help them make a positive contribution to society. The new subjects of relationships, sex and health education will support all young people in managing risk and making informed decisions, including in key areas such as mental wellbeing and online behaviour. For example, under the topic of internet safety and harms, the guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them, and how to be a discerning consumer of information online. The statutory guidance for the new subjects is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
Other National Curriculum subjects, such as citizenship and computing, can also address online gambling and its dangers. This could be through developing the financial literacy of young people, and by highlighting the dangers of online gambling whilst using digital platforms (such as gambling opportunities introduced within computer games, and in-app games/purchases, for example “loot boxes”) in their e-safety teaching.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, meets regularly with cabinet colleagues to discuss the Department's agenda. This includes relevant topics covered by the new subjects. The Department has worked with other government departments, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in developing the content for the new curriculum subjects which are being taught in schools from this academic year.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to reduce the prevalence rate for problem gambling on online slots, casino and bingo games.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Between 2011, the earliest year for which we have complete figures, and September 2019, there was a 21% decrease in the number of bingo, arcade, casino and betting shop premises. A year-by-year breakdown is provided in the accompanying table.
According to data from the 2016 combined Health Surveys, 3% of adults in Great Britain played online slots, casino and bingo games, and 9.2% of those were considered problem gamblers. In the Health Survey for England 2018, 4% played those products, with a problem gambling rate of 8.5%. The Gambling Commission recently completed a consultation on new measures to make online slots safer. Those proposals included a minimum spin speed to reduce the maximum speed of play and banning split screen play which allowed multiple games to be played simultaneously. The Commission will publish its response to the consultation in the coming months.
The government has committed to review the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age and further details will be announced in due course.
Table: Land-based gambling premises numbers
Year to | Total | Arcades | Betting | Bingo | Casino |
31/03/2011 | 12,307 | 2,396 | 9,067 | 695 | 149 |
31/03/2012 | 12,462 | 2,542 | 9,128 | 646 | 146 |
31/03/2013 | 11,957 | 2,033 | 9,100 | 680 | 144 |
31/03/2014 | 11,999 | 2,031 | 9,111 | 710 | 147 |
31/03/2015 | 11,758 | 1,941 | 8,995 | 674 | 148 |
31/03/2016 | 11,615 | 1,894 | 8,915 | 654 | 152 |
31/03/2017 | 11,404 | 1,819 | 8,800 | 635 | 150 |
31/03/2018 | 11,069 | 1,701 | 8,559 | 657 | 152 |
31/03/2019 | 10,781 | 1,656 | 8,320 | 651 | 154 |
30/09/2019 | 9,745 | 1,633 | 7,315 | 642 | 155 |
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of schemes in schools and colleges to raise awareness of the dangers of online gambling.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe and want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. Relationships Education for all primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for all secondary school-aged pupils, and Health Education for all pupils in state-funded schools, will become compulsory from 1 September 2020.
In light of the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and, following engagement with the sector, the department is reassuring schools that although the subjects will still be compulsory from 1 September 2020, schools have flexibility over how they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching. For further information, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 10 June to Question 55660.
The subjects will support all young people in terms of managing risk, making informed decisions, as well as in key aspects such as mental wellbeing and online behaviour. Under the topic of internet safety and harms, the statutory guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them, and how to be a discerning consumer of information online. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils. Schools should assess each resource they intend to use, to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and sensitive to their needs. These resources must also be factually accurate. We also expect schools to consult with parents on these matters and to make reasonable decisions about the content of their curriculum.
Many schools draw on the work of subject associations when choosing resources, for example the PSHE Association. They have worked with organisations like Gamble Aware to develop a programme about the dangers of gambling.
To support schools, the department is investing in a central package to help all schools to teach these subjects. We are currently developing a new online service featuring training materials, an implementation guide and case studies. This will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance, including modules on how teachers teach about the risks related to online gambling. The first training material, covering mental wellbeing, is now available on GOV.UK, and additional content will be added in the coming months.