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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to take steps to ring-fence funds levied through the statutory gambling levy for the research, treatment and prevention of gambling harms.

As set out in the government’s consultation response, section 123 of the Gambling Act 2005 is clear that statutory levy funding will be ringfenced for gambling-related purposes and all spending is subject to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and HM Treasury approval. We will ensure robust governance processes for the levy system as a whole to ensure that funding allocated for research, prevention and treatment to the lead commissioning bodies we have appointed is being used in line with the government’s objectives.