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 assessment she has made of the potential causal relationship between gambling advertising and harm caused by gambling.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Public Health England’s evidence review of gambling-related harms did not find any review-level evidence that exposure to advertising is a risk factor for harmful gambling. However, we are aware that gambling advertising can have a disproportionate impact on some groups, such as those who are already experiencing problems with gambling, and there are aspects of advertising which can appeal to children.
While rules are already in place to prevent advertising from causing harm to children and vulnerable people, the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) has recently implemented strengthened protections for adults who are vulnerable to gambling harm. A further announcement on new rules aimed at reducing the appeal of gambling adverts to children is also expected shortly.
The Government is reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure it remains fit for the digital age. As part of its broad scope, the review called for evidence on the benefits or harms of allowing operators to advertise and engage in sponsorship arrangements. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a White Paper outlining conclusions and next steps in the coming months.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse each month of gambling related harm.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Public Health England (PHE)’s evidence review of gambling-related harms estimated that the annual direct cost to the government associated with people who are problem gamblers was approximately £647 million per year, although it was unable to make a direct assessment of the cost of gambling harm specifically. Our Review of the Gambling Act aims to ensure that the protections in place to prevent harm are appropriate and effective for the digital age. It is looking at issues around research as part of its broad scope.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support students who have gambling addictions.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
As autonomous bodies, it is for higher education (HE) providers to determine what welfare and counselling services they need to provide to their students. They are not only experts in their student population but also best placed to identify the needs of their particular student body.
The government strongly supports the Stepchange: Mentally Healthy Universities framework, calling on HE leaders to adopt mental health as a strategic priority. The government also supports The University Mental Health Charter, which outlines that effective services should be responsive to changes in need among their population, including specific issues such as addiction.
We remain committed to preventing gambling-related harm and ensuring those experiencing it can access the right treatment and support whenever and wherever they need it. The NHS Long-Term Plan, published in July 2019, announced the creation of 15 specialist problem gambling clinics by 2023/24, with up to £15 million of funding over the same period. Work continues on the phased expansion of these services, enabling the NHS to explore how best to use existing treatment models to reach those most in need of support.
The government and the Gambling Commission have also significantly raised requirements around age verification, banned gambling on credit cards, made online slots safer with a new game design code, mandated integration with Gamstop (the one-stop online self exclusion scheme) and introduced new rules on VIP schemes
We are also reviewing the Gambling Act to ensure it is fit for the digital age. A core objective of the review is to ensure effective protections are in place for the further protection of vulnerable groups, including children and young people. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in due course.
From September 2020, the subject of health education was made compulsory in all state-funded schools. This includes teaching young people about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt.
The NHS website offers support for those that are worried they may have a gambling problem, and outlines support: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/gambling-addiction/.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals in the Online Safety Bill to end the use of online gambling advertising.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Online Harms Bill will bring in a regulatory framework for user-to-user services, such as social media and video sharing sites, and search services, such as search engines. Gambling firms are already subject to the specific gambling regulatory regime set out in the 2005 Gambling Act. We are currently reviewing that Act with a focus on ensuring we have the right protections in place to prevent gambling related harm.
All online gambling operators must already be licensed by the Commission and comply with the strict licence conditions including measures to protect children and vulnerable people. Importantly, this includes a range of controls to ensure that all advertising and marketing, including offers, are provided in a socially responsible way. A number of types of gambling operators are similarly prohibited from providing any form of credit. Those who are able to are subject to the stringent restrictions set out in the Gambling Commission’s Social Responsibility Codes.
As part of the Act Review’s broad scope, we are looking closely at the effectiveness of the existing measures. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in the coming months.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals as part of the Online Harms Bill to tackle online gambling firms making offers to their site users that are harmful, including free loans.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Online Harms Bill will bring in a regulatory framework for user-to-user services, such as social media and video sharing sites, and search services, such as search engines. Gambling firms are already subject to the specific gambling regulatory regime set out in the 2005 Gambling Act. We are currently reviewing that Act with a focus on ensuring we have the right protections in place to prevent gambling related harm.
All online gambling operators must already be licensed by the Commission and comply with the strict licence conditions including measures to protect children and vulnerable people. Importantly, this includes a range of controls to ensure that all advertising and marketing, including offers, are provided in a socially responsible way. A number of types of gambling operators are similarly prohibited from providing any form of credit. Those who are able to are subject to the stringent restrictions set out in the Gambling Commission’s Social Responsibility Codes.
As part of the Act Review’s broad scope, we are looking closely at the effectiveness of the existing measures. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in the coming months.
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 recent discussions she has had with the financial services sector to help prevent harmful gambling.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises the important role banks and other financial services can play in supporting efforts to tackle gambling related harm. Since 2019, when the then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Wright, convened a roundtable of banks and other stakeholders in the financial sector to encourage them to do more in this regard many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block card transactions and we estimate this is now available for approximately 90% of UK current accounts.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I will shortly co-convene a roundtable with the financial services industry to explore further steps the sector could take.
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, if she will facilitate discussions between the gambling industry and financial services institutions to ensure gambling operators provide data to prevent harm.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises the important role banks and other financial services can play in supporting efforts to tackle gambling related harm. Since 2019, when the then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Wright, convened a roundtable of banks and other stakeholders in the financial sector to encourage them to do more in this regard many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block card transactions and we estimate this is now available for approximately 90% of UK current accounts.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I will shortly co-convene a roundtable with the financial services industry to explore further steps the sector could take.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the Payment Services Directive to ensure that it helps prevent gambling harm.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises the important role banks and other financial services can play in supporting efforts to tackle gambling related harm. On gambling blocks, I am pleased that many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block debit card transactions to licensed gambling operators, which is estimated to now be available for approximately 90% of UK current accounts.
The Government welcomes this progress and continues to work together with industry to identify what more can be done in this area. As such, I will shortly co-convene a roundtable with the Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy to look at opportunities for additional progress which further support UK consumers.
The Government is reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age. This is taking a close look at the effectiveness of existing protections for gamblers in preventing harm and how these could be improved. The Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport is considering the evidence carefully and aim to publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in due course.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the financial services sector to help prevent harmful gambling.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises the important role banks and other financial services can play in supporting efforts to tackle gambling related harm. On gambling blocks, I am pleased that many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block debit card transactions to licensed gambling operators, which is estimated to now be available for approximately 90% of UK current accounts.
The Government welcomes this progress and continues to work together with industry to identify what more can be done in this area. As such, I will shortly co-convene a roundtable with the Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy to look at opportunities for additional progress which further support UK consumers.
The Government is reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age. This is taking a close look at the effectiveness of existing protections for gamblers in preventing harm and how these could be improved. The Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport is considering the evidence carefully and aim to publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in due course.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require gambling firms to disclose their bank account details on a central registry to empower banks to extend gambling blocks to bank transfers made to gambling companies.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises the important role banks and other financial services can play in supporting efforts to tackle gambling related harm. On gambling blocks, I am pleased that many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block debit card transactions to licensed gambling operators, which is estimated to now be available for approximately 90% of UK current accounts.
The Government welcomes this progress and continues to work together with industry to identify what more can be done in this area. As such, I will shortly co-convene a roundtable with the Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy to look at opportunities for additional progress which further support UK consumers.
The Government is reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age. This is taking a close look at the effectiveness of existing protections for gamblers in preventing harm and how these could be improved. The Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport is considering the evidence carefully and aim to publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in due course.