Written questions by Smith.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to prohibit the owners of white label gambling operator TGP Europe from holding gambling licenses in the future.

Gambling operating licences are issued by the Gambling Commission, the regulator for gambling in Great Britain. Following the Commission’s investigation, TGP Europe surrendered their operating licence.Where a licensee surrenders its licence whilst a licence review is underway (as per section 116 of the Act), the Commission may still decide to continue its investigation to determine the facts of the case. This approach enables the Commission to refer to the investigation in the future if, for instance, the licensee applies for a new licence.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Gambling Commission’s regulatory action against operators that fail to comply with the requirements of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what enforcement measures the Gambling Commission has considered in relation to Bet365’s operations in China.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made on the establishment of the gambling ombudsman.

We are looking at options for improving Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provision for customers, including the establishment of a gambling ombudsman. The Minister for Gambling will confirm our plans in due course.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve enforcement against unlicensed gambling operators.

We are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed.In the past year, the Commission has significantly increased its disruption activity and has a renewed focus on finding innovative ways to tackle the illegal market. Since April 2024, they have issued over 1,150 cease and desist, and disruption notices. In the same period, over 118,000 URLs relating to illegal gambling have been referred to search engines, Google and Bing, with over 81,000 URLs removed by those search engines.The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of enforcement action against unlicensed online gambling operators.

We are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed.In the past year, the Commission has significantly increased its disruption activity and has a renewed focus on finding innovative ways to tackle the illegal market. Since April 2024, they have issued over 1,150 cease and desist, and disruption notices. In the same period, over 118,000 URLs relating to illegal gambling have been referred to search engines, Google and Bing, with over 81,000 URLs removed by those search engines.The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Media and Sport, if she will withdrawn Bet365's UK operating licence for openly operating in China.

As the independent regulator, it is the Gambling Commission’s duty to ensure that operators comply with the requirements set out in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and to take appropriate regulatory action against those operators which fail to comply. Any decision to withdraw an operator’s licence lies with the Gambling Commission.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to regulate unregulated legal gambling.

Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which operates a point of consumption licensing regime. Most legal gambling in Great Britain is regulated.

Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth of 5 February 2025, Official Report, column 373WH, on account-based online play, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that online gambling operators are fully implementing protections for people experiencing harm.

The Gambling Commission is in the process of introducing a number of regulatory reforms that build on current account level player protections, including financial vulnerability checks, improved tools for financial limit setting and improved choice in direct marketing.Regulatory enforcement is the role of the Gambling Commission as set out in the Gambling Act 2005. Gambling operators are required to send the Commission a regulatory return for each type of activity for which they hold a licence. There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action.

Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with gambling (a) companies and (b) operators on (i) advertising to (A) children and (B) other vulnerable people and (ii) their compliance with advertising codes of conduct.

As the Gambling Minister set out in her speech at the GambleAware conference in December 2024, the industry has now been set a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm, and this work will be monitored closely.There are a range of robust rules in place to ensure that gambling adverts, wherever they appear, are socially responsible and do not target children. The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and does take action.

Media and Sport, what steps she has taken with the Advertising Standards Authority to tackle online gambling advertisements (a) targeting children and (b) failing to disclose the presence of (i) loot boxes and (ii) other gambling-like features in mobile games.

Gambling operators must ensure that their advertising is not targeted at children and must not appear in media created for children or for which children make up 25% or more of the audience. Operators must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps to use data available to exclude individuals on the basis of their age or other relevant criteria. These rules are required as part of the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and do take action. The ASA’s rulings on breaches of loot box advertising code requirements are available at: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.htmlDCMS officials regularly meet the Advertising Standards Authority to discuss a range of issues, including its view on whether ads for apps, video games and other online products that feature random-item purchasing mechanisms sufficiently disclose this fact in the content of the advertisement. Through ‘Guidance on Advertising In-game Purchases’ and ASA rulings, the ASA system sets and applies standards to mitigate the potential for ads to mislead consumers about the cost of in-game purchases, whether games contain them, and how they might affect gameplay. The ASA’s sister body, the Committee of Advertising Practice, is currently deliberating whether and, if so, on what basis, to take further action in this aspect of its regulation.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a ban on gambling advertisements in video games PEGI rated 18 and under.

Gambling operators must ensure that their advertising is not targeted at children and must not appear in media created for children or for which children make up 25% or more of the audience. Operators must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps to use data available to exclude individuals on the basis of their age or other relevant criteria. These rules are required as part of the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and do take action. The ASA’s rulings on breaches of loot box advertising code requirements are available at: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.htmlDCMS officials regularly meet the Advertising Standards Authority to discuss a range of issues, including its view on whether ads for apps, video games and other online products that feature random-item purchasing mechanisms sufficiently disclose this fact in the content of the advertisement. Through ‘Guidance on Advertising In-game Purchases’ and ASA rulings, the ASA system sets and applies standards to mitigate the potential for ads to mislead consumers about the cost of in-game purchases, whether games contain them, and how they might affect gameplay. The ASA’s sister body, the Committee of Advertising Practice, is currently deliberating whether and, if so, on what basis, to take further action in this aspect of its regulation.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of revoking the gambling licenses of Greentube Alderney Limited.

As the independent regulator, it is the Gambling Commission’s duty to ensure that operators comply with the requirements set out in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and to take appropriate regulatory action against those operators which fail to comply. The Gambling Commission has published its decision on regulatory action against Greentube Alderney Limited, and any decision on revoking Greentube Alderney Limited’s licence lies with them.

Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the number of high-street gambling operators in possession of non-remote bingo licenses that are operating as adult gambling centres.

As of 31 March 2024, there were 631 non-remote bingo premises in operation in Great Britain, according to the Gambling Commission’s November 2024 Industry Statistics.As set out in the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, in licensed bingo premises, gaming machines may only be made available for use where there are also substantive facilities for non-remote bingo available in the premises. Non-remote bingo licensees must also ensure that the function and presentation of their premises are such that a customer can reasonably be expected to recognise that it is a premises licensed for the purposes of providing bingo facilities. These are conditions of non-remote bingo licences. To operate an adult gaming centre, operators require a “gaming machine general operating licence” for an adult gaming centre and an adult gaming centre premises licence.

Media and Sport, what progress she has made on the prevention framework under the statutory levy; and if she will take steps to ensure that prevention work is undertaken independently from (a) the gambling industry and (b) organisations associated with that industry.

As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, further consideration of the evidence is needed in order to appoint an appropriate body to lead the prevention strand of the levy system. We will confirm our decisions in due course. Prevention is a critical part of the government’s approach to tackling gambling-related harm and we need to take the time to get the policy right whilst ensuring that necessary legislation is passed to meet our commitment to having the levy in place by April 2025.The Government is clear that the levy puts the independence of funding beyond doubt and industry will have no say over spending decisions. To guarantee sufficient accountability and transparency within the new system, including the use of funding allocated for prevention alongside research and treatment, we will establish appropriate governance arrangements consisting of a Levy Board for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments to monitor the health and impact of the levy system, and an Advisory Group to provide informal advice to lead commissioning bodies regarding strategic and funding priorities. The UK government will also formally review the statutory levy system within five years with the first formal review expected by 2030.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a ban on gambling (a) sponsorship and (b) advertising in football.

As the Minister for Gambling set out in her speech at the GambleAware conference on 4 December, we want to see the gambling industry further raise standards to ensure that levels of gambling advertising does not exacerbate harm. This work will be monitored closely.There are a range of robust rules and restrictions which apply to gambling adverts, wherever they appear, to ensure they are socially responsible.As part of the UK Advertising Codes, issued by the Committees for Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committees of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sister organisations of the Advertising Standards Authority, content with ‘strong appeal’ to children such as top flight footballers or celebrities popular with children is prohibited from appearing in gambling adverts. As part of the Code of Conduct published by major sports governing bodies, including the Premier League and English Football League, gambling sponsorships must be designed to limit its reach and promotion to those under the age of 18, such as ensuring that no gambling sponsor logos or other promotional materials relating to gambling sponsorship appear on sections of their website which are designed to be viewed and used specifically by children. The Department will closely monitor the implementation of the Codes to ensure they have a meaningful impact. Premier League clubs have also agreed to remove front of shirt sponsorships by gambling firms by the end of the 2025/26 season.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of Ipsos and the University of Bristol's report entitled Drivers of Gambling Marketing Restrictions – An International Comparison, published in November 2024.

The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can reduce the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence on the impact of gambling advertising from a wide range of sources in order to ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk. The department has noted the report from Ipsos and the University of Bristol on marketing restrictions in international jurisdictions.