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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society during the debate on gambling harms of 5 February 2025, Official Report, columns 373-377WH, if she will outline the conditions under which her Department would intervene to replace the self-regulating system in the gambling industry.

Gambling in Great Britain is independently regulated by the Gambling Commission.

The independent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK. There are robust rules in place to ensure that advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible. Gambling operators must comply with the advertising codes of practice, which are enforced by the ASA, as part of their licence conditions. The ASA has the power to take action where there is evidence of advertising in breach of the Codes, and can also refer operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission for possible regulatory action. However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.