UK general election comes early on 4 July – Parties focus on gambling regulations
What’s been consistently dubbed as ‘the worst-kept secret in Westminster’ has finally been made an official – the UK is set to go to the elections on July 4, 2024. Current incumbent Rishi Sunak made the announcement while getting drenched in pouring rain, in what many political pundits are hailing as a sign of things to come for the beleaguered Prime Minister.
Question is – what impact, if any, will this have on top UK online casinos and on the gambling legislation in general? While a legal shake-up has long been expected – and desired – thanks to the long-awaited Gambling Act Review White Paper, a change in government could easily come with unexpected developments.
There is also the possibility that, even should Sunak’s Conservatives prevail, the White Paper will be temporarily placed on the back burner as the newly-elected government puts its focus elsewhere, leaving UK online casinos in the dark.
July 4 is likely to once again be a tightly-contested race between the Conservative Party that’s currently in government, and the Labour Party, which has been taking the lead in a considerable number of pre-election surveys. The BBC’s June 8 report in fact placed Labour with a 44% average lead, and Sunak’s party dragging behind with 22%, based on figures from the British Polling Council.
This solid 22% gap has solidified speculation that the Gambling Act Review White Paper is far from being viewed as a priority and that Sunak intends to continue dragging his heels on the much-needed reform.
Below, we’re going to take a detailed look at the position that the two main contenders are taking with respect to land-based and online casinos UK, how responsible gambling features in their electoral promises, and anything else that is likely to affect the industry.
The Labour Party’s gambling manifesto
The Labour Party’s main contribution to the brick-and-mortar and online casinos UK industry took place almost 20 years ago when it enacted the Gambling Act of 2005. The law is nowadays best described as ‘analogue’, meaning that it was created at a time when UK online casinos were in their infancy. Thus, it fails to address the increasingly complex needs of the remote gambling scenario.
The Act’s main breakthrough was the establishment of the Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is nowadays responsible for regulating all forms of commercial gambling across the UK. The UKGC is responsible for issuing licenses to gambling operators and for ensuring that they comply with the conditions of said license.
The Labour Party’s gambling law also introduced the concept of responsible gambling, for the first time introducing rules about advertising so as to ensure that minors and vulnerable people are not exposed to gambling.
Although at the time of its introduction, Labour’s Gambling Act was heralded as a breakthrough for a regulated industry, today this doesn’t hold true anymore. The current legislation faces criticism even from within its ranks, with Labour MP Carolyn Harris among the most vocal. In an op-ed on Politics Home, she acknowledged that its shortcomings are mostly rooted in the fact that back in 2005 remote gambling was far from being widespread. However, she adds that a drastic reform is vital.
Back in 2020, Harris was already heavily lobbying for the below reforms should Labour take back government:
- Centralised affordability checks for high-spenders to ensure that they can afford them.
- Online stake limits aligning to those in land-based casinos to be implemented.
- Mandating donations towards funding research, education and treatment.
- A blanket ban on sponsoring of television programmes and sports teams
- Another blanket ban on celebrities becoming ambassadors for gambling firms
While the above list only reflects Harris’s electoral campaign, she is likely to find supporters to her cause now that the election date is happening. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is yet to pronounce himself on the specific measures that would form part of the gambling legislation overhaul.
However, the pressure to take some sort of action will undoubtedly be on. The topic is definitely on the party’s radar, as LabourList.org’s leak of the policy platform that is shaping the party’s electoral manifesto shows.
One of the points pulls no punches, boldly stating: if the Conservatives continue to fail to update analogue gambling laws that are not designed for the digital age, the next Labour government will. So far, Starmer’s public statements show a desire for action that the Conservatives have failed to achieve. In 2023, he told The Independent journalists that he would “back tighter gambling regulations”.
The Conservative Party’s gambling stance
Prime Minister Sunak is likely to face an uphill battle on this topic, as his government has shown itself singularly unwilling to actually implement any kind of reform. The White Paper has been parked for over a year. Moreover, the party has been hounded by problematic behaviour related to the issue.
In 2023, Conservative MP Phillip Davies lobbied the government to allow casinos to offer credit gamblers, including “ultra-high net worth foreign visitors”. The request was made after Davies was entertained by Les Ambassadeurs casino, who hosted him for a meal there. The amendment was, in fact, subsequently included in the White Paper.
The Conservative Party’s White Paper also included the below proposals for reform:
- A mandatory levy on industry revenues.
- Tougher affordability checks to prevent huge losses.
- Online slot stakes are capped between £2 and £15.
- Limiting bonus and free spin offers.
- Measures to slow down online casino games.
- More resources are allocated to the UKGC.
- Plans for a gambling ombudsman.
However, the Paper has drawn its fair share of criticism, not least for the amount of time it’s taking to implement. It remains to be seen whether Sunak will drive any further action, and when, if re-elected.
Political party funding
The link between politics and UK online casinos is not limited to the enacting of regulations. Betting companies are known to be enthusiastic donors when it comes to funding political parties, with The Independent reporting that betting companies top the list of donations to MPs.
The most generous of these appears to be Ladbrokes Coral, which contributed trips to Cheltenham races, the FA Community Shield football match at Wembley as well as dinner at the Conservative Party conference.
And of course, MP Philip Davies makes an appearance here too, receiving a number of gifts totalling £3,685. Davies used his position as elected chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Betting and Gaming to justify this.
Once you are done, please ensure an appropriate ending to the piece – perhaps about what citizens can expect in the run-up to election day – the PR type campaigning that will happen to get votes.
Political party funding
As election day grows nearer, we can expect more sector-specific updates to reach us from both Labour and the Conservatives. The electorate’s appetite for properly regulated UK online casinos and betting sites is marked, and it would be a mistake on the side of either party to ignore this. And with a number of crucial votes resting on this, we’re likely to see a steady increase in the campaigning efforts of both parties.
By Ramona Depares
UK Casino news
