Culture secretary Michelle Donelan promises 'common sense approach' to review

Culture secretary Michelle Donelan told MPs on Tuesday the government was committed to the ongoing gambling review and that it would be taking a "common sense" approach to the subject.

Thursday will be the second anniversary of the launch of the review, which promised to update regulation of the sector to make it "fit for the digital age".

However, despite repeated assurances since the spring that a white paper would be published "in the coming weeks", the government's proposals, which are expected to include plans for controversial affordability checks on punters, have yet to appear.

Donelan, who took over the role as culture secretary under Liz Truss and has retained the position after Rishi Sunak took over as prime minister, told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee that the government was "committed to the gambling white paper" and that it would be out "within a matter of weeks".

She added: "The approach we have taken on this one in general is very much to focus on the area which presents the most harm to individuals. One of the problems as we all know is that gambling regulation and legislation has not kept pace with the online world and that is why it is particularly problematic especially around online gambling.

"What it's not designed to do is curtail people's everyday lives or their enjoyment in relation to recreational gambling which has not presented a problem, so it is about getting the balance right.

"There are some areas that we felt as a ministerial team, and I felt, could be stronger and some areas where we felt that there were more outdated, antiquated legislational rules that didn't quite fit the modern world we are operating in."

Donelan said that work on the details of the white paper, as well as the turmoil that surrounded the government in the summer and autumn, had slowed progress.

She also told the committee that she and gambling minister Paul Scully had been engaging with those who have suffered harm from gambling, as well as talking to the gambling industry.

Donelan added: "Obviously I can't pre-empt the white paper but what I would like to say in broad terms is that we are trying to take a common sense approach to this, that most people enjoy a bit of gambling here and there whether it's the Lottery, whether it's the Grand National, whether it's whatever. That is not what we are trying to tackle via this white paper."

Read these next:

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