Gambling Minister departs as white paper caught in political upheaval
Damian Collins departs after just three months as DCMS looks for third gambling chief this year
Gambling Minister Damian Collins has left his role in what is yet another blow to the publication of the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review.
Collins, who was appointed to the role on 8 July, has left the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) just days after new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took the keys to Number 10.
Collins previously replaced former Gambling Minister Chris Philp, who resigned as part of the ousting of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the summer.
Philp had previously delivered the white paper to Number 10, noting in his resignation letter the document should be published in full without edit.
The DCMS has been a tumultuous department in recent years, with several Secretaries of State having been given responsibility for the white paper.
Oliver Dowden, Nadine Dorries and current DCMS Secretary Michelle Donelan have all previously had input into the white paper.
Donelan herself survived Sunak’s first cabinet reshuffle in a move that appeared to steady the ship of the DCMS.
Instead, with Collins’ departure, and no minister named as his replacement, any hopes of the document’s publication before 2023 looks ever slimmer.
It has been a real pleasure to work with the team @DCMS to take forward the Online Safety Bill and other measures to strengthen our digital economy. I will now continue to support these efforts in parliament from the backbenches.
— Damian Collins (@DamianCollins) October 27, 2022
Betting and Gaming Council CEO Michael Dugher revealed the government had hoped to release the white paper before Christmas.
This was, of course, under Liz Truss’ premiership. Truss departed Downing Street after just six weeks in a disastrous period for British politics.
Sunak, who replaced Truss with the overwhelming support of the Conservative Party, has previously been sympathetic to the gambling industry, buoying hopes over a more relaxed white paper.
Photo credit: UK Parliament website https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/