Report: Sunak gives green light to affordability checks and slots stake limits
PM directly involved in publication of white paper which is thought to include an ombudsman to deal with disputes
Rishi Sunak is set to approve maximum stakes for online slots and “non-intrusive” affordability checks as he gets to grips with the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review.
According to The Times, Sunak has been swayed by top NHS figures regarding the impact of gambling-related harm, with the Prime Minister looking to make his mark on the legislation.
The much-maligned affordability checks mooted by gambling reformists are set to be put in place, although no indication of any potential limits on spending have yet been confirmed.
Maximum stakes for online slots ranging from between £2 and £5 are also reportedly set to be included, closely aligning the online sector with FOBT machines in betting shops which have a £2 cap (previously £100).
Sunak is supposedly setting up an independent ombudsman to deal with disputes and support consumers, while more stringent age-verification checks will also be put in place to prevent under-18s from gambling online.
However, in a blow for reformists, the government is set to scrap plans for a ban on gambling sponsorships in football, with Premier League clubs being offered a voluntary approach to change.
Operators’ VIP programmes have also reportedly been given a reprieve after previously being lined up for the chop.
Elsewhere, the government is set to relax regulations for land-based casinos, allowing them to install more machines and extend credit to foreign customers.
In early November, the latest de facto Gambling Minister, Paul Scully, claimed the white paper would arrive in the “coming weeks”.
Although it seems unlikely the document will see the light of day before Christmas, given the fact the government was recently on the hunt for a senior policy advisor for online gambling, Sunak’s apparent involvement indicates his intention to see the white paper published and out for consultation sooner rather than later.
The Prime Minister has been a supporter of the industry during his time in Parliament, including writing to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) allaying concerns over the industry’s treatment.
Sunak’s constituency, Richmond (Yorkshire), is home to Catterick racecourse, and stakeholders at the track have reportedly implored him to intervene in the review. The training hub of Middleham is also in his constituency.