UK government unveils plans to evaluate impact of Gambling Act review
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) outlines methodology for upcoming review, with the Gambling Commission’s director of policy encouraging interview participation
The UK government has announced its plans to conduct an evaluation into the impact of the white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review (GAR), with plans to publish findings in 2026.
The evaluation was first confirmed by the Gambling Commission and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in March, when it was revealed the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) had been tasked with developing an evaluation approach.
In a blog post on the Gambling Commission’s website, Bryony Sheldon, the regulator’s director of policy, stressed the importance of ensuring all lessons regarding the impact of policy change linked to April 2023’s white paper are learned.
“Evaluation requires involvement and cooperation from a wide variety of stakeholders,” Sheldon wrote.
“In taking forward work on the Gambling Act Review, we have engaged extensively and will continue to do so, both informally and through formal consultation, which has included questions about evaluation.
“The experience of consumers, operators and other stakeholder groups will be a key part of the evaluation in the coming months, as we welcome participation in surveys, interviews and other planned research.”
In a bid to bolster the quality, robustness and representation of the research, Sheldon noted that a lived-experience panel and an advisory group will also contribute to the review process.
Operator surveys, focus groups and diary studies with young people will also be deployed for data collection.
As per the government’s official website, the GAR evaluation will focus on seven key questions, including whether the proposals were implemented as intended and how the Gambling Commission, DCMS and independently led proposals contributed to achieving observed outcomes.
The review will also explore whether the findings will impact future gambling-related policy changes.
Sheldon’s blog post confirmed that both the regulator and NatCen plan to reach out to stakeholders “in the coming weeks”, with more details expected to be announced in 2025.
The release of GAR has been delayed because of the general election, which took place in July and saw a change of government.
As a result, the onus is now on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to implement the proposals raised, as pressure mounts on the government to act on certain aspects of review.
The white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review resulted in more than 60 policy proposals which are to be worked through.
Headline changes such as the statutory levy, financial risk checks and a cap on online slots stakes have all since been actioned.