Legislators are calling for another complete overhaul of the country’s gambling regulations
The UK government may soon be under pressure to completely overhaul its gambling laws, following growing demands from members of parliament calling for major reform. A group of MPs, many of whom are part of the cross-party group focused on gambling-related harm, is pushing for the country to replace the current Gambling Act with new legislation that treats gambling as a public health concern.
This proposal could put the ruling Labour Party in a difficult position. While it has committed to reducing gambling harm, it has also received over £400,000 in donations from the gambling sector in recent years. The industry remains a significant economic force in the UK, pulling in a record £11.5 billion from customers in 2024 alone.
The current Gambling Act, passed in 2005 under Labour’s Tony Blair, is now being criticized as outdated. Campaigners say the law doesn’t reflect the rapid expansion of online gambling and advertising, especially content seen by young people. Some MPs want to see advertising aimed at children banned altogether, along with restrictions on sports sponsorships linked to betting brands.
One of the more drastic ideas being floated includes moving regulatory oversight from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the Department of Health, signaling a shift in how the government frames gambling—less as entertainment, more as a public health risk.
There are concerns, however, about how effective existing controls have been. Affordability checks introduced in recent years have sparked debate, with critics saying they’ve led to unintended consequences. Some believe these checks have simply pushed players toward more addictive, luck-based games without actually addressing addiction.
With pressure building inside Parliament and Labour already facing backlash on other issues, the government may be forced to make difficult choices—ones that could redefine how gambling is regulated across the UK.
