Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 PEGI’s self-regulatory framework in enforcing age ratings for video games containing loot boxes.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government engages with the Games Rating Authority (GRA), who are designated to ensure all games are appropriately rated using the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) age ratings. These ratings provide clear and detailed information on the content that can be found in a game such as violence, bad language, or the presence of paid random items (i.e. loot boxes).
In partnership with the GRA and other European regulators, PEGI has recently reviewed how their age ratings can better protect young players. As a result, four new risk categories have been developed, one of which directly addresses loot boxes, setting a minimum age rating of 16 for games which contain them.
The government supports the GRA’s strict enforcement of these new PEGI ratings, which come into force in June 2026. We will closely follow the implementation and expect that the new ratings will provide players, parents and video game developers with clear information on how loot boxes can be used in an age-appropriate way.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Games Rating Authority on their proposals for monitoring compliance with the minimum age requirement for games featuring loot boxes.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government engages with the Games Rating Authority (GRA), who are designated to ensure all games are appropriately rated using the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) age ratings. These ratings provide clear and detailed information on the content that can be found in a game such as violence, bad language, or the presence of paid random items (i.e. loot boxes).
In partnership with the GRA and other European regulators, PEGI has recently reviewed how their age ratings can better protect young players. As a result, four new risk categories have been developed, one of which directly addresses loot boxes, setting a minimum age rating of 16 for games which contain them.
The government supports the GRA’s strict enforcement of these new PEGI ratings, which come into force in June 2026. We will closely follow the implementation and expect that the new ratings will provide players, parents and video game developers with clear information on how loot boxes can be used in an age-appropriate way.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 the potential impact of Financial Risk Assessments on tax revenues from the regulated betting and gaming sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).
Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.
The existence of the online gambling illegal market does not mean that we should avoid appropriate controls on licensed operators. However, as stated in the white paper, we recognise that the threat of movement to the illegal market does exist. This is why we are working to give the Gambling Commission increased powers to support disruption and enforcement activity, and why we have announced £26 million of funding over 3 years to the Commission to enable them to increase their activity. We have also set up an Illegal Gambling Taskforce to test what more can be done to tackle the threats posed by the illegal market.
Any assessment of the impact of policies on taxation revenues is a matter for HM Treasury.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the rate of Video Games Expenditure Credits for bigger budget games to 39% and removing the 80% expenditure cap.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of the video games sector and the contribution it makes to growth. Support for video games companies is provided through the tax system and through funding.
Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) provides a generous rate of relief of 34% on qualifying UK video games development costs. In 2023-24, £327 million of Corporation Tax was relieved through video game tax relief. VGEC is available to any company and project that meet the qualifying criteria, including larger budget games.
The Government is not currently considering increasing the generosity of the relief.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial sustainability of the workforce in the United Kingdom’s film and television production sector.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK’s creative industries generated £145.8 billion in GVA in 2024 — 5.6% of the economy — with film, TV, radio and photography contributing £23.5 billion. The sector’s growth and global strengths position the UK to lead in film and television production. To realise that ambition, we need a skilled and sustainable workforce. That is why our Sector Plan designates film, TV and video games as a frontier industry, signalling their priority status for future investment and support.
From April 2026, a £75 million Screen Growth Package will support independent UK content, attract inward investment and expand skills development, creating more jobs and greater long‑term stability across the sector. The Sector Plan also boosts access to finance through the British Business Bank, expanded debt and equity options, and tailored support for producers.
We are raising standards across the sector by acting on the Good Work Review, establishing the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority and supporting the BFI’s £1.5 million WorkWise for Screen programme. Freelancers will have a stronger voice through a new Creative Freelance Champion, while the Employment Rights Act 2025 will tackle late payments, guarantee written contracts and extend health and safety protections.
We are also strengthening the skills and talent pipeline through major investment: expanding the National Film and Television School, scaling up the BFI Film Academy and delivering £725 million through the next phase of the Growth and Skills Levy, including fully funded SME apprenticeships for eligible under‑25s. From April 2026, new short courses in digital, AI and engineering will support Industrial Strategy sectors, complemented by work with DWP and Skills England to ensure training genuinely reflects the needs of creative employers.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the level of international competitiveness of the Video Games Expenditure Credit; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the (a) tax credit and (b) cap of total core expenditure to 100%.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, including the contribution made by the UK’s video games sector to growth and innovation. We support the sector through the tax system and through funding, and this is a very competitive offer internationally.
Video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC), which provides a generous tax credit of 34 per cent on UK video games development costs. Some countries offering higher refundable rates but with tighter caps or narrower qualifying expenditure, while the UK’s approach provides a predictable and scalable form of support across a broad base of development costs.
Tax support sits alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s new £30 million Games Growth package, designed to back the next generation of start‑up studios and talent and attract further inward investment.
The Government keeps the whole tax system under review to ensure it remains effective, targeted and delivers value for money.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the Video Games Expenditure Credit to support smaller video game studios.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, including the key role they play in driving economic growth, and the video games sector is specifically supported through the tax system and through funding.
Video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC), which provides a generous tax credit of 34 per cent on UK video games development costs. In 2023-24, £327 million of Corporation Tax was relieved through video game tax relief.
VGEC makes no distinction between large and small game studios. Any video game production company can qualify as long as it meets the eligibility criteria. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to a new £30 million Games Growth Package over three years to back the next generation of start‑up games studios and talent, and drive inward investment in the sector.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom regarding the regulation of online video games under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a wide range of online safety matters, including online gaming.
Ofcom has published a range of guidance and tips to support businesses in complying with the Online Safety Act. Specific guidance for the gaming sector can be found here: Gaming: know the online safety risks, the rules, and how to comply
Ofcom is committed to ensuring the new rules are clearly explained to services, and we are committed to helping small businesses navigate regulations
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether guidance has been issued to video game developers on compliance with the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a wide range of online safety matters, including online gaming.
Ofcom has published a range of guidance and tips to support businesses in complying with the Online Safety Act. Specific guidance for the gaming sector can be found here: Gaming: know the online safety risks, the rules, and how to comply
Ofcom is committed to ensuring the new rules are clearly explained to services, and we are committed to helping small businesses navigate regulations
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
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 the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the independent report on loot boxes commissioned by the Government in 2023; and whether she plans to publish that report.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages.
To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research shortly, alongside our next steps.