Summary
- Stuart Andrew is expected to oversee the Gambling White Paper, becoming the sixth minister to take on the role
- He is currently serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at DCMS
- White Paper which was expected to be released by the end of Feb, could be delayed further
Stuart Andrew MP is set to be appointed as the UK’s new Gambling Minister.
According to a report by the Racing Post, Andrew will supervise the Gambling Act White Paper, taking over the role from Paul Scully.
Andrew Becomes Sixth Minister to Oversee White Paper
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has yet to confirm Andrew’s upcoming appointment, but it’s understood the MP for Pudsey, Horsforth, and Aireborough in West Yorkshire will become the sixth minister to oversee the Gambling Review since it was launched in December 2020.
Over the last three years, five different people have so far taken charge of the White Paper. They were: Nigel Huddleston, John Whittingdale, Chris Philp, Damian Collins and more recently, Paul Scully who has now been moved to the newly-created Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (SIT) alongside former DCMS Secretary Michele Donelan who now leads the new agency. The fresh appointments were made as part of a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Andrew is already connected to the DCMS, currently serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Tourism, Heritage, and Civil Society. He was appointed to his present role in September 2022. He has stayed generally silent on the subject of gambling, but he accepted hospitality worth £1,961 from Paddy Power for the England vs. Germany match at Wembley during the latest UEFA EURO games.
Industry Braces for Major Reforms
The Gambling White Paper, which has been delayed numerous times partly due to changes in government leadership, is anticipated to be released this month, as earlier promised by Scully.
The White Paper is expected to feature a raft of major reforms for the industry which could include widely debated measures, such as affordability checks, advertising restrictions, a sponsorship ban, and a mandatory levy to fund research, education, and treatment (RET).
The DCMS is now led by Lucy Frazer, and with Andrew’s upcoming appointment, the government can restart the process for the publication of the White Paper. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) recently called on the DCMS to release the White Paper as soon as possible as the delays are causing “damaging uncertainty” for the industry.
The industry body has repeatedly expressed strong opposition to intrusive, blanket measures which it said would only push more people towards the black market.
