UK Gambling White Paper Kicked Into Long Grass

Once again a new boss has been announced to replace Michelle Donelan as Secretary of State for Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) along with the Minister responsible for Gambling Paul Scully.

In a cabinet re-shuffle by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that Donelan has been moved to a new portfolio for Science and Lucy Frazer will take on the role at the DCMS with no name given as of yet for the Minister responsible for gambling.

That has annoyed the entire gambling industry here in the UK with what appears to be a certain continued delay to the UK Gambling White Paper of reforming the industry.

The Gambling Review was launched back in December 2020 and has been delayed time and again and many believe now that this government has no intention of publishing it before they go to the nation for a general election in 2024.

On expert on government procedures said, “moving a Minister from one department to another creates delays, civil servants each time have to brief the incoming Minister on what is pending and what is urgent, then the Minister brings in his own team of advisors which generally takes a year for them to settle in, no Minister wants to jump in and make rash decisions on a new department.”

With just over a year to go it appears that the current government is avoiding any decision on gambling reforms and the possibility of another Secretary of State moving into the DCMS prior to an election is not out of the question.