Although not an official parliamentary committee, the APPG is a cross-party coalition of MPs and peers with a long-standing reputation for pushing tougher regulation and promoting a public health approach to gambling policy.
Purpose of the Inquiry
Unveiled on 17 July 2025, the new inquiry comes amid heightened political attention on gambling-related harms. It seeks to determine whether Britain’s current regulatory framework is keeping pace with technological change and the growing risks of digital gambling.
The call for evidence runs until 12 September 2025 and will form the basis of a comprehensive review of existing gambling laws and the proposals already set out in the government’s White Paper. The APPG has left open the possibility of recommending an entirely new Gambling Act if it concludes that current measures fall short.
The inquiry will examine how gambling regulation intersects with wider policy concerns, including health, finance, taxation, and the economy. A particular emphasis will be placed on whether gambling harm is being addressed adequately as a public health issue.
Key Areas of Examination
The APPG has flagged several core topics for scrutiny, including:
- Implementation of the statutory levy
- Online slot stake limits and other product restrictions
- Affordability and financial risk checks
- The planned gambling ombudsman
- Advertising and sports sponsorship
- Oversight and performance of the Gambling Commission
- Emerging markets such as crypto casinos
- Land-based gambling regulation
Parliamentary evidence sessions will be held later this year, featuring gambling operators, academics, campaigners, regulators, and individuals with lived experience.
Political Context
The inquiry is being led by APPG chair Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, who has consistently called for stronger measures against gambling-related harms. While many of the group’s long-held priorities, such as tighter stake limits and ringfenced funding for harm prevention, were adopted in the 2023 White Paper, the APPG believes those reforms are already outdated.
Launching the inquiry, Sir Iain argued that the government’s programme “does not go far enough” to address the risks of today’s digital gambling environment. APPG vice-chair Alex Ballinger MP echoed this view, suggesting that a new Gambling Act may be required.
The group also highlighted new findings from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain showing that 2.5% of adults scored 8 or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index, figures which, though contested, have fuelled debate over the scale of harm.
For now, ministers have endorsed several White Paper reforms, such as online slot stake limits and the statutory levy, but remain cautious on politically sensitive issues like advertising and sponsorship. DCMS has reiterated its commitment to implementing the reforms, stressing that reducing harm remains a government priority.
What Next?
Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on 12 September 2025, followed by a series of evidence hearings in Parliament. The APPG will then publish a report with recommendations to the government on future policy and legislative options.
Although APPGs have no formal power over legislation, their reports often influence debate and provide momentum for reform. With some elements of the White Paper, such as deposit limits and product-specific marketing opt-ins, coming into effect in October, and others still in pilot or consultation phases, the APPG’s intervention signals its determination to push for deeper and faster change.
Whether this inquiry leads to major policy shifts remains uncertain, but it underscores ongoing tension between the government’s cautious approach and campaigners’ calls for a more radical overhaul of gambling regulation in the UK.