Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact on charity lotteries of introducing a statutory levy on gambling operators.

As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, we will introduce a statutory levy charged to all licensed gambling operators. Society lotteries will be charged the levy at the lowest rate of 0.1%, in recognition of the low rates of harm associated with participation in society lotteries and the important benefits they bring to good cause fundraising. The Gambling Act 2005 is clear that all licensees are in scope of the levy, but to minimise disruption this 0.1% will be charged as a proportion of proceeds retained after good causes. We will also conduct a formal review of the statutory levy system within five years where the structure and health of the levy system, including levy rates, will be assessed and any necessary adjustments made to ensure we are achieving our objectives and impacts are proportionate.