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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of whether Financial Risk Assessments under the Gambling Commission's pilot remain aligned with the policy intent set out in the 2023 gambling white paper; and whether she will publish that assessment.

DCMS supports the policy intent behind Financial Risk Assessments, as set out in the white paper. We have taken note of the Gambling Commission’s pilot and its published findings, and have had regular engagement with the Commission on this issue.

DCMS believes that the pilot indicates Financial Risk Assessments should be a useful tool in efforts to tackle gambling-related harm, should the Commission decide to implement them. Findings from the pilot suggest that they target and identify customers who are both experiencing high losses and are in financial difficulties. We also believe that Financial Risk Assessments will not be intrusive. The white paper estimated that only 3% of active gambling accounts would be expected to undergo an assessment; and the pilot indicated that 97% of those assessments would be completed frictionlessly, within seconds and conducting a check would not interrupt the customer experience.

It is for the Gambling Commission to decide whether to implement Financial Risk Assessments. The Commission has committed to ongoing review, evaluation and adaptation over time if Financial Risk Assessments are introduced.