Following the UK’s General Election and the reshuffling of key ministerial posts within the British government, there is some relief expressed in the gaming industry that the familiar faces of Karen Bradley and Tracey Crouch will remain in their previous roles at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which governs British gambling.
Nick Harding, chairman of the Gambling Business Group, welcomed their continued presence and immediately called for an urgent meeting between industry and DCMS to get the Triennial Review back on track. The review is the upgrading of stakes and prizes in gambling which takes place in the UK every three years.
“I’m delighted the government has moved quickly to end any uncertainty in the department which means the Triennial Review should now pick up at the earliest opportunity. The industry is committed to the review that we hope will end the uncertainty surrounding gaming on the high street. The need for a consultation document, delivered as swiftly as possible, is unequivocal."
He was supported by his CEO at the Gambling Business Group, Peter Hannibal, who said: “Uncertainty is the enemy of business and it will be interesting to see how the new political landscape impacts the triennial.
"With both Labour and the Lib Dems pledging in their manifestos to reduce the maximum stake on FOBTs from £100 to £2, plus (in Labour’s case) a slower game speed, and with both of those parties now having more influence in a hung parliament, some observers believe that a lower B2 stake is more likely now than if the Conservatives had achieved an overall majority.
"There are also other key issues we want to see being dealt with such as enabling contactless payment methods, which is now absolutely vital for gaming machines in pubs. "While the Gambling Commission and DCMS aren’t commenting, the impression we have is that, like ourselves, they are waiting for the dust to settle so that they can kick-start the review process."
