Huge changes set for gambling laws in major government clampdown

In an announcement today, Labour confirmed its "first steps" towards strengthening gambling harm authorities successful the UK successful a bid to tackle the contented of gambling addiction

The Government is acceptable to present immense changes to gambling laws arsenic portion of a large clampdown connected the industry.

In an announcement today, Labour confirmed its "first steps" towards strengthening gambling harm authorities successful the UK successful a bid to tackle the contented of gambling addiction. For the archetypal clip ever, a £5 per rotation bounds volition use to each adults aged 25 and implicit connected online slot machines with a £2 per rotation bounds for 18 to 24-year-olds.

The crushed for the determination is that online slot machines person been classed arsenic a "higher-risk gambling product" which has been associated with "large losses, agelong sessions, and binge play".

Labour says the projected online slot involvement limits - which bash not person a confirmed implementation day yet - volition enactment unneurotic with erstwhile changes to slot crippled design, which person been successful spot since 2021. These see slowing down the velocity of play and banning autoplay features, aiming to trim play strength and supply customers with a amended knowing of their gambling.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is besides readying to summation gambling company taxes to money addiction attraction connected the NHS. In its merchandise today, the authorities says nether the existent voluntary system, not each gambling companies lend equally, with immoderate operators paying arsenic small arsenic £1 a twelvemonth towards research, prevention and treatment.

According to information from foundation GamCare, addiction to online gambling slots has surged since the Covid pandemic, and information from the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) recovered that young adults are peculiarly susceptible to gambling-related harm, with nether 25s having 1 of the highest proportions of respondents scoring 8 oregon more.

The gambling minister, Baroness Fiona Twycross, said: “Gambling harm tin ruin people’s finances, relationships, and yet lives. We are perfectly committed to implementing strengthened measures for those astatine risk, arsenic good arsenic providing effectual enactment for those affected.

"The instauration of the archetypal legally mandated levy volition beryllium instrumental successful supporting research, raising consciousness and reducing the stigma astir gambling-related harm. We are besides helping to support those astatine risk, with a peculiar absorption connected young adults, by introducing involvement limits for online slots.

"These measures volition assistance physique an NHS acceptable for our aboriginal and fortify protections whilst besides allowing radical to proceed to gamble safely."

The authorities says the measures would let radical to "gamble safely", but the betting industry's main lobby radical Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) said the authorities was "at hazard of losing perspective". However, it has since changed its tune and is present supporting the levy saying contiguous that its members gave £50million to tackle gambling-related harm past year.

The lobby radical besides highlighted that the “vast majority” of radical gamble safely, including connected the National Lottery. It besides pointed to a 2021 NHS survey that recovered 0.4% of the colonisation person a gambling problem. However, information from the Gambling Commission person this astatine 2.5%.

The NHS has besides confirmed that it was treating much radical with gambling problems, with its latest figures showing referrals person much than doubled compared to the aforesaid play past year.