The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Reform has re-grouped to launch a new inquiry into the “Future of Gambling Regulation in the UK”.
The inquiry has been launched by new APPG Chair, Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, “to assess how the gambling industry should be reformed to prevent public harms.”
The Tory grandee has long campaigned for a root-and-branch overhaul of the Gambling Act and, alongside APPG members, remains unsatisfied with the recommendations outlined in the Government’s White Paper on gambling reforms.
Two years on from the White Paper’s publication, Duncan Smith continues to voice strong criticism of gambling advertising, the visibility of gambling to the UK public, the adequacy of online protections, and broader industry conduct.
He has also been openly critical of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), condemning its lenient approach to gambling licences—particularly in cases where operators have been fined multiple times for regulatory failings.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio, Duncan Smith commented on the lack of enforcement at Adult Gaming Centres on the high street: “Well, that’s reality on the ground … Nothing is enforced, therefore they don’t really care and so what you get therefore is that abuse taking place and nobody checks on it.”
Duncan Smith was also the most prominent MP to call on the Conservative government to review its decision to allow Premier League clubs to negotiate their own terms in sponsorship agreements with gambling operators.
Blasting Rishi Sunak, who was Prime Minister at the time, for a “soft decision”, he called for stronger, legally binding controls on gambling advertising and sponsorships in football, and for the scrapping of all voluntary codes in favour of enforced regulation.
Leading the APPG, Duncan Smith has pledged to maintain pressure to review Gambling Act reforms and press for the implementation of changes that bring an end to the gambling industry’s excesses.
Duncan Smith stated: “The previous Government’s White Paper marked a step in the right direction by beginning to address some of the challenges posed by today’s gambling industry.
However, it is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure our regulatory framework is fit for the digital age to protect people from harm. This inquiry will play a crucial role in shaping our recommendations to Government, and I strongly encourage organisations and individuals to submit evidence to help inform our work.”
As a cross-party initiative, the APPG maintains that it has been instrumental in driving comprehensive changes to UK gambling legislation. This includes the eradication of highly addictive Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, the introduction of a statutory levy to support the NHS, stake limits for online casino games (£2 for 18–25s and £5 for over 25s), and the ban on direct marketing to vulnerable users.
The announcement was welcomed by Will Prochaska, Director of The Coalition to End Gambling Ads, who commented:“This is a significant moment in the campaign to reform the British gambling industry.
“The coming together of a Tory grandee—Sir Iain Duncan Smith—with fresh and passionate backbench Labour voices such as Beccy Cooper and Alex Ballinger is going to be a powerful combination on the APPG. I think the current set of politicians pushing for change are ready for it.”
The Labour government has stated its intention to implement the changes and recommendations set out in the Gambling Review, aiming to bring closure to a five-year regulatory process widely seen as mishandled by successive Conservative administrations.
However, it acknowledges growing dissatisfaction with elements of the White Paper in relation to advertising, public health safeguards, and emerging ‘local-level’ demands from UK councils concerns that may warrant further targeted review.
