UK Gambling Minister shows support for white paper

Baroness Twycross, the UK’s minister for gambling, speaking at the Labour Party Conference, has voiced support for the nation’s white paper.

She said that the Labour Party, now the governing party, had been “broadly supportive” of the white paper while they had been in opposition, and that it recognised that “most people who gamble do so safely but we absolutely believe that we need to strengthen protections to protect those that are at risk of gambling addiction and of harmful gambling.”

Answering a question from the floor she stated: “I am clear that people have been waiting for things to proceed for some time and I know from civil servants that they have some things that have been ready to go for a long time.

“It would be wrong for me to not speak to those involved in the sector before proceeding but I am clear that this will not be years of conversation before we start outlining the direction of travel, that this is something that is my absolute priority as a new government minister.”

George McGregor, executive director (government relations) at UK trade association Bacta (pictured), attended the Labour Party Conference alongside Bacta president John Bollom. “This was the first occasion that the Minister had spoken about the gambling brief,” he said. “Her reference points in terms of the timetable for implementation were weeks and months and the feeling in the room was that we have a Minister who is both pragmatic and proportionate.

“Bacta’s contributions to the white paper were all evidence-based and I am confident that our arguments including the commitments to safer gambling and our ability to contribute to the government’s growth agenda will resonate with the Minister. I am looking forward to developing further our social and economic case when we meet with Baroness Twycross on October 3.”