Parliamentary group in UK calls for tough new Gambling Act

A UK report compiled by Members of Parliament and members of the House of Lords, has called for a ban on gambling advertising and a limit of £2 on all online slots.

The cross-party alliance also demands an overhaul of the country’s gambling regulations, plus a ban on VIP schemes and inducements. It also wants a review of online deposits and prize limits.

All of these factors would be encompassed in a new Gambling Act of Parliament.

The group is the All Party Parliamentary Gambling-Related Harm Group and it comes as the UK Government is preparing to review the regulation of the £11bn gambling industry.

The group is credited with campaigning to ban credit card bets and championed the arguments against the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) that was also successful.

A ban on betting advertising would take in television, live sports and social media and would reverse a decision to permit it taken in 2005, the last time that the Gambling Act was reviewed.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper quoted Labour MP Carolyn Harris, leader of the group, saying: “This multi-million-pound industry has destroyed people’s lives. They have shown time and again that they will not effectively self-regulate.” The group also described the UK’s Gambling Commission as “not fit for purpose”.