The UK government wants the impending statutory levy on the gambling industry to incorporate a “no wrong door” approach for those experiencing gambling harms.
Publishing its response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s second report on the gaming industry in the UK, which was published in December, the government said the levy will “allow the development of an integrated and comprehensive treatment system across Great Britain in the coming years.”
It said this will allow for “established referral pathways” between the NHS and third-sector providers of research, education and prevention of gambling harms.
The government also responded to the topic of advertising in the industry, which was raised in the report.
It said: “While the Gambling Act confers on licensed operators the right to advertise legal gambling products in Great Britain, we absolutely recognise that gambling advertisements can have a disproportionate impact on those experiencing gambling harms.
“That is why we and the Gambling Commission are taking targeted action to ban aggressive practices and ensure that advertising remains socially responsible.
“The Gambling Commission has recently consulted on proposals to ensure that incentives such as free bets and bonuses are constructed in a socially responsible manner and do not encourage excessive or harmful gambling.”
The government said it and the Gambling Commission are “committed to a proportionate, frictionless system of financial risk checks, to protect those at risk of harm without over-regulating.”
“We recognise that this needs to be proportionate and we expect the Gambling Commission to publish its consultation response following its summer 2023 consultation in due course detailing how this will be achieved, including a commitment to undertaking a pilot for enhanced risk assessments,” it added.
“We will set out the government’s position in relation to our proposed land-based reforms, including on cashless payments, in our consultation response which will be published shortly,” the response said.
