Gambling white paper up next after ministers publish plans for football reform

Thursday's publication of the UK government's plans to reform the governance of English football has cleared the decks for ministers to proceed with the gambling review white paper, but the pressure is on for it to be published before the Easter recess at the end of March.

The leadership of both British racing and the betting industry are desperate for clarity on the government's proposals for gambling reform, especially over the issue of affordability checks which the sport estimates is already costing it tens of millions of pounds in revenue.

The government's gambling review was launched in December 2020 with the promise of making regulation "fit for the digital age" but it has been the subject of repeated delays ever since.

The latest came this month when prime minister Rishi Sunak carried out a mini-reshuffle which resulted in the then culture secretary Michelle Donelan and Paul Scully, the minister for gambling, leaving their posts at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Lucy Frazer has taken over at the head of the now slimmed-down DCMS, while sports minister Stuart Andrew is set to take on the gambling brief from Scully.

Paul Scully: former gambling minister moved in mini-reshuffle

Andrew has not been officially named as gambling minister but this week he responded to written parliamentary questions on gambling policy, saying in the replies that the government "will publish a white paper in the coming weeks". However, in answer to a question from Andrew Bridgen MP which asked who would be responsible for the white paper, Andrew replied on Thursday: "The minister responsible for gambling will be announced soon."

The Racing Post understands that Frazer has taken a much greater interest in the gambling review than her predecessor and is said to have quickly taken a grasp of the issues. However, it is understood that the 'write-round' process, in which other government departments are informed of policy and are able to give feedback, has yet to begin, which could mean the white paper will not be published until the second half of March at the earliest.

Should the Easter recess deadline of March 30 be missed it could also mean that the white paper does not appear until May, as further delays might result from the period of pre-election sensitivity also known as 'purdah' before the local elections in England on May 4, during which time policy announcements are not supposed to be made. Once the government's proposals on affordability checks are laid out in the white paper, it is expected the topic will be subject to a further period of consultation.

Among the other issues likely to figure in the gambling review are gambling advertising and sports sponsorship by gambling operators. It has been reported this week the government is unlikely to propose banning gambling sponsorship but Premier League football clubs could bring in a voluntary ban.

A statutory levy on gambling operators to pay for the treatment of problem gambling, and lower stakes for online slot games to match those found in land-based gambling, are also expected to figure.

Read these next:

The Big Punting Survey: one in six have already been hit with affordability check 

The Big Punting Survey: revealing racing's Radio 4 problem 

Exclusive: Sports minister Stuart Andrew set to take on gambling brief 

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