The Financial Times reports..
The UK’s outdated gambling laws are set for a wide-ranging review that will consider advertising bans and stake limits to cope with the rapid changes that online betting has brought to the sector. Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, said the “comprehensive” audit of the UK’s 15-year-old legislation was needed to deal with the “breakneck speed” of change due to digital innovation. “Whilst millions gamble responsibly, the Gambling Act is an analogue law in a digital age,” he said as he launched the review, which was promised in the Conservative’s election manifesto. The initial call for evidence, which will run until the end of March, had been expected earlier this year but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Its remit will include possible restrictions on gambling advertising, such as a ban on football shirt sponsorship, stake limits and financial checks to establish how much a customer can afford to lose. It will also look at the role of the Gambling Commission, which a parliamentary committee recently branded “torpid” and “toothless”. The regulator welcomed the review as “an opportunity to build on the progress we have made to protect players and the public”.
