Prime Minister Sunak to Act Tough on Gambling, The Times Suggests

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may be inclined to act with a firm hand in the upcoming regulatory review of the Gambling Act 2005. According to The Times, Sunak is keen to wrap up the process which has been delayed on numerous occasions, and which prompted many lawmakers and ordinary citizens to object to what they saw as protectionism of the gambling industry.

Industry Prepares for a Tough Review and Law Overhaul

Amid calls from the likes of the Betting and Gaming Council to act cautiously and not overregulated for the sake of having changed, Sunak is determined to now “fix the catastrophe of online gambling.” To get there, Sunak will make sure that the Gambling Review is addressed swiftly and that changes are made to see important changes made.

Among those changes are the rumored affordability checks which the BGC argues will alienate many customers from the regulated gambling market. The industry has definitely been wary of those changes as many gambling bosses believe that affordability checks are based on prejudice rather than evidence. The industry suggests that gambling revenue could diminish by as much as £700 million should the affordability checks go ahead and the measure passes.

Consumers themselves have responded somewhat conservatively towards affordability checks and said that they would be reluctant to undergo those strict financial checks to prove they can afford to spend money at gambling websites. Gambling limits on individual games, such as slots, may be set at anything between £2 and £5, which will be a measure that resembles the restriction passed on fixed-odds betting terminals a few years ago.

There are other things that need discussing, too. A much-touted voluntary ban on gambling partnerships in the Premier League may finally happen too. The topflight soccer competition clubs seemed to be inclined to pass a voluntary exclusion, but their plans came a cropper, not least because the government of Boris Johnson, in which Sunak was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, collapsed.

Finishing the Job After All These Years

Sunak is committed to passing the White Paper and Gambling Act Review as early as possible and to the benefit of both the industry and consumers. However, he is inclined to act more determinedly insofar as some of the more debatable measures of the review are concerned.

Sunak acting tough could help solve the long-overdue review and it could also help secure the sympathies of more voters, with many advocating passionately for the reduction of gambling advertisements in society. National Health Service doctors have also urged lawmakers and the government to act as there has been an increase in the number of patients who seek treatment for gambling addiction and report suicidal thoughts.