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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an independent ombudsman to enforce gambling operators’ duty of care.

Following the Government’s review of the Gambling Act 2005, and the Gambling White Paper, published in April 2023, we are introducing a package of measures to further prevent gambling-related harm, including a commitment to establish a non-statutory ombudsman to strengthen protections for customers where things go wrong. The body will adjudicate complaints, including those relating to social responsibility or gambling harm, where an operator is not able to.

We are working at pace with industry and all stakeholders in the sector, including the Ombudsman Association, to ensure customers have access to an ombudsman that is fully operationally independent in line with Ombudsman Association standards, and is fully credible in the eyes of customers. As set out in the white paper, it is important that the body adjudicates fairly and transparently all complaints regarding social responsibility or gambling harm issues where an operator is not able to resolve these.

We remain clear that if this approach does not deliver as we expect, or shortcomings emerge regarding the ombudsman’s remit, powers or relationship with industry, the government will actively explore the full range of options to legislate to create a statutory ombudsman.