A number of constituents have contacted me about the gambling review and its impact on the horse racing industry.
The Government launched a review of the Gambling Act 2005 in 2020, which sets out to examine online restrictions, marketing, and the powers of the Gambling Commission. It is also important the review considers the protections for online gamblers like stake and spend limits, advertising, and promotional offers and whether extra protections for young adults are needed.
Over the last 15 years, the online sphere has transformed the gambling industry drastically. The Gambling Commission found that 61% of gamblers who partook in horse racing participated online. Whilst smartphones provide opportunities to gamble online almost anywhere and at any time, with fast-paced innovation in product design and advertising. As of 2019, mobile phones have now become the most popular method of accessing online gambling, with 50% of all online gamblers doing so.
For many, gambling can be fun, but it is important to recognise that, for others, it can become a serious problem. While we all want a healthy gambling industry that makes an important economic contribution, because of the risk we must prevent potential exploitation of vulnerable people and prevent gambling-related harm, which has life-ruining potential. This was the original aim of the Gambling Act 2005 and remains the priority in the review process of this legislation.
The Gambling Commission and Government has continued to revise gambling rules. In 2019, the Gambling Commission introduced new rules to ensure operators verify customers’ age and identity details. Furthermore, in 2020, the Government and Commission banned credit card gambling, made participation in the self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP mandatory for online operators, and new gave guidance for operators to identify customers who may have been at heightened risk during the pandemic.
In regard to horse racing, the Government recognises the unique contribution that horse racing makes to the UK's sporting culture and in particular to the rural economy. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, confirmed how the review will ensure the protection of the horse racing industry:
“We know that horse-racing is a vital sport for the people who work in the industry. It supports many jobs, it provides leisure activities for many people, and it is a significant source of national pride and prestige. Nothing in the Gambling Act review, I hope, will do anything to undermine the financial condition of that great sport or its place at the heart of our national life.”
In preparing the Gambling White Paper, the impact of any proposals is being fully considered. The Government is consulting both the British Horseracing Authority and the Gambling Commission, in particularly when examining the effect on the Horserace Betting Levy, which itself has been committed to Government review by 2024 to ensure the sport is suitably funded for the future.
I will certainly follow developments closely.