Details of the previously announced evaluation, which will involve consultation with a range of interested parties, have been released by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).
This comes after the Gambling Commission and the department announced in March that they had hired the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to provide a methodology for assessing the set of responsible gambling regulations.
Bryony Sheldon, UKGC director of policy, said: “Evaluation requires involvement and cooperation from a wide variety of stakeholders. In taking forward work on the Gambling Act Review, we have engaged extensively and will continue to do so, both informally and through formal consultation, which has included questions about evaluation.
“The experience of consumers, operators and other stakeholder groups will be a key part of the evaluation in the coming months, as we welcome participation in surveys, interviews and other planned research.”
Sheldon added further research governance structures have been established to assist with the quality, robustness and representation of the evaluation.
These include a new Lived Experience Panel and an Advisory Board, which will be independently administered by NatCen consistent with best practices in research.
The legacy of the Gambling Act Review
The impact of the UK’s gambling reforms, which were set in position by prime minister Boris Johnson’s government in 2020, is a live debate in the country’s gambling sector.
Political instability delayed the eventual publication of the Gambling Act Review white paper multiple times, with the 2024 general election ultimately leaving the unfinished work to be completed by Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
Campaigners have applauded the implementation of many of the measures, but expressed frustration with delays and the lack of action in some areas, such as advertising.
Meanwhile, the industry itself has lobbied against some aspects of the review, most notably the imposition of strict affordability checks.
While a pilot is currently underway to examine the potential impact of these, the sector’s trade body has warned the checks risk pummelling the racing sector and driving players out of the regulated market.
Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst said in September: “Proposals by anti-gambling prohibitionists like advertising bans or intrusive, blanket, low level affordability checks will not protect customers, in fact they will give another leg up to unscrupulous black market operators, the last thing anyone wants.
“Every comparable market in the world tells us the same thing. The best defence against this growing illegal, gambling black market is getting the balance of regulations right.”
The Gambling Commission and NatCen will be reaching out to stakeholders in the coming weeks, with further details to be published in 2025.
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