Chris Philp named new gambling minister following cabinet reshuffle

Chris Philp has been named as the new minister overseeing the gambling sector following prime minister Boris Johnson's reshuffle last week.

The role of gambling minister usually goes hand in hand with responsibility for racing, although Philp's full portfolio has yet to be confirmed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The MP for Croydon South, most recently a junior minister at the Home Office, succeeds John Whittingdale and will oversee the final stages of the gambling review launched by the government last December, with a white paper expected before the end of the year.

Campaigners for gambling reform, who had been unhappy that Whittingdale had taken over the brief earlier this year due to suspicions he was "soft" on the issue, may be happier with Philp's appointment given his track record on the subject.

In 2017 he wrote the foreword to a report by think tank ResPublica which called for FOBT stakes to be reduced to £2, saying the machines damaged "the lives of people, our economic prosperity and the fabric of our communities".

Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Michael Dugher welcomed Philp to his new role, adding: "He comes to the brief with an excellent reputation as a talented and extremely capable minister. We have made excellent progress working towards the gambling review white paper and we're sure the government will not wish to lose momentum."

Dugher said it was "vitally important that the government continues with the evidence-led approach it has taken to the review until now".

He added: "I look forward to working with Chris in the months ahead as the BGC continues to drive big changes and higher standards on safer gambling, ensuring we get the balance right between protecting the vulnerable while ensuring the millions who enjoy a flutter safely and responsibly have the freedom to do so."

Philp is one of a number of new ministerial faces at the DCMS, where Nadine Dorries has replaced Oliver Dowden as culture secretary.

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