Committee publication · Correspondence · 18 March 2026
Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport relating to gambling policy in Northern Ireland, dated 20 February and 10 March 2026.
Summary
Correspondence between the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chair and the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling concerning gambling regulation in Northern Ireland. The Committee raised concerns about an unregulated gap where UK-wide operators can advertise in Northern Ireland without Gambling Commission oversight, the exclusion of Northern Ireland from the statutory gambling levy, and limited support services. The Minister confirmed devolution of gambling regulation to the Northern Ireland Executive and stated no plans to extend the Gambling Commission's remit or the levy to Northern Ireland.
Key findings
- Gambling Commission currently only regulates the National Lottery in Northern Ireland; the Gambling Act 2005 extends almost exclusively to England, Wales and Scotland.
- UK-wide licensed gambling operators can operate and advertise in Northern Ireland but escape Gambling Commission regulation, creating a regulatory imbalance.
- Northern Ireland receives no share of the statutory gambling levy applied to licensed operators in Great Britain, despite some operators also serving the NI market.
- Support services like GamCare operate across England, Scotland and Wales but direct Northern Ireland users to 'international support options', revealing a service gap.
- Government has no plans to extend the levy to Northern Ireland; the Department for Communities is independently scoping a potential Northern Ireland industry levy.
Government position
The government rejects extension of the Gambling Commission's remit and statutory levy to Northern Ireland, citing devolution. Gambling regulation and support service provision are matters for the Northern Ireland Executive. Officials have discussed the levy with Northern Ireland Department for Communities officials but government confirmed no plans to extend levy powers to Northern Ireland. Government stands ready to support Northern Ireland Executive initiatives but places responsibility for prevention and treatment provision on devolved authorities.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Baroness Twycross, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Gambling Commission, Northern Ireland Executive, Department for Communities, GamCare, Gordon Lyons MLA, Hilary Benn MP
Notable line
“… gambling regulation is devolved to Northern Ireland. As such, any decisions on gambling regulation or developing the most appropriate approach to tackle gambling-related harm to help …”
Key Quotes
“As you will be aware, gambling regulation is devolved to Northern Ireland. As such, any decisions on gambling regulation or developing the most appropriate approach to tackle gambling-related harm to help Northern Ireland residents are principally matters for the Northern Ireland Executive.”
“We have been clear that the government does not have plans to extend the levy to Northern Ireland, and that very few provisions in the Gambling Act 2005 extend to Northern Ireland.”
“… operational decisions taken by organisations such as GamCare are a matter for these organisations themselves and not the government.”
“UK-wide gambling companies are licensed to operate and advertise across all parts of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. However, the Gambling Commission has no regulatory authority there, and this creates an imbalance: operators benefit from access to NI, yet the Commission does not regulate their activities there.”
“GamCare, for example, provides information, advice and support across England, Scotland and Wales for anyone affected by gambling-related harm, but does not extend these services to Northern Ireland. Instead, individuals in Northern Ireland are directed to support under 'international support options,'”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗