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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks governing gambling advertising across broadcast, online, and social media platforms.

All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including broadcast, online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. DCMS regularly engages with the ASA to discuss these changes and the impact of the regulations.

In addition, all operators in the UK are required to comply with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which includes new provisions relating to direct marketing and socially responsible promotions and bonuses. The impact of these measures will be assessed in due course.

We are also working with colleagues across Government and other regulators to assess the effectiveness of age assurance tools on online platforms. We are considering a wide range of evidence to ensure children are best protected from gambling related harm.