The UK Government has revealed that the long-awaited white paper that is expected to propose sweeping changes to the gambling industry will be published in the coming weeks.
Government will reject mandatory football kit sponsorship ban in favour of a voluntary scheme
The white paper is the first step in the government’s plans to review the 2005 Gambling Act following a surge in online betting in recent years. Campaigners for responsible gambling believe that the current legislation is outdated given that a significant percentage of gambling activity in the UK now takes places online.
A spokesperson from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said:
“We are undertaking the most comprehensive review of gambling laws in 15 years to ensure they are fit for the digital age. We will be publishing a White Paper as part of a review of gambling legislation in the coming weeks.”
Measures that look set to be adopted include maximum stakes at online casinos of between £2 and £5 and a complete ban on all free bets or other free gambling incentives. The white paper is set to propose a ban on VIP packages for any gamblers that incur heavy losses and the implementation of ‘non-intrusive’ affordability checks.
The government is also expected to introduce legislation that requires all online gambling companies to remove online features that increase the level of risk for customers in a bid to reduce problem gambling. Meanwhile, the Gambling Commission looks set to be granted new powers and additional funding from increased levies and fees paid by gambling license holders.
However, reports suggest that one recommendation the government is expected to reject is a ban on gambling sponsorship on football shirts. This was believed to have been one of the primary proposals in the white paper and considered to be a major step in tackling the effects of problem gambling. But the government will instead opt for a voluntary scheme that will see football clubs opt to remove gambling sponsorships from their kits and limit the exposure of gambling advertising to fans.
Gambling activity on the rise
The UK Gambling Commission released figures earlier this year that show online gambling is at its highest rate in history with as many as one in four people placing wagers online.
The research, which was released earlier in April 2022, stated that 25.7% of people aged 16 or over had placed wagers online in the prior four weeks leading up to the survey. This was up from 18.5% across the previous five years. Much of this can be attributed to the pandemic and the forced closure of retail gambling properties.
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.