The UK government has outlined its intention to assess the ramifications of the white paper concerning the review of the Gambling Act of 2005, with an anticipated publication of findings in 2026.
Initially confirmed by the Gambling Commission and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in March, this evaluation will be spearheaded by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), which is responsible for crafting the evaluation approach.
In a post on the Gambling Commission’s blog, Bryony Sheldon, the policy director, highlighted the critical need to assimilate all insights from policy changes associated with the April 2023 white paper.
“Evaluation demands the engagement and collaboration of various stakeholders,” Sheldon pointed out.
“In advancing our work on the Gambling Act Review, we’ve engaged extensively and will continue to do so, through both informal exchanges and formal consultations, including questions on evaluation.”
She further emphasized that the experiences of consumers, operators, and other related groups will be integral to the evaluation efforts in the upcoming months, as they welcome involvement in surveys, interviews, and additional planned research.
To enhance the quality, robustness, and representativeness of the research, Sheldon mentioned that both a panel of individuals with firsthand experience and an advisory group will play a role in the evaluation process.
There will also be data collection efforts through operator surveys, focus groups, and diary studies with youth participants.
According to the government website, the evaluation of the Gambling Act Review (GAR) will address seven critical questions, such as determining whether the proposed measures were executed as envisioned and evaluating how the Gambling Commission, DCMS, and independent initiatives have contributed to achieving the desired results.
The review will also consider whether the findings will influence forthcoming policy shifts related to gambling.
Sheldon’s blog post confirmed that both the Commission and NatCen intend to contact stakeholders “in the coming weeks,” with further information anticipated in 2025.
The GAR’s release was postponed due to the general election in July, which resulted in a change of government.
Consequently, it is now up to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to implement the proposed initiatives, with increasing pressure on the government to address certain aspects of the review.
The white paper from the Gambling Act 2005 review put forward over 60 policy proposals for consideration.
Significant changes, including a statutory levy, financial risk assessments, and a cap on online slot stakes, have already been implemented.
The article “UK government unveils plans to evaluate impact of Gambling Act review” was initially published on EGR Intel.