UK’S BGC WELCOME PAUL SCULLY MP AS NEW GAMBLING MINISTER

Standards body the Betting and Gaming Council has congratulated Paul Scully MP on his appointment as Minister responsible for the betting and gaming industry.

BGC chief executive Michael Dugher also congratulated Michelle Donelan MP on her re-appointment to the Cabinet and encouraged both to continue engagement with the industry to find the right balance in the upcoming Gambling Review.

Mr Dugher also paid tribute to outgoing Gambling Minister, Damian Collins MP, who had been leading the Gambling Review and who has now returned to the backbenches.

Paul Scully was previously a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up and will also continue in his role as Minister for London.

The Betting and Gaming Council was established in 2019 and represents over 90 per cent of retail betting shops, online betting and gaming operators, casinos and bingo operators. As the single industry body, we work with our members, large and small, to raise standards, create a culture of safer gambling and build public and institutional trust in our world class industry.

Every month some 22.5 million adults have a wager, whether that’s on horse racing, playing the lottery, bingo or casino games, or having a bet on the football and other sports.

We are encouraged by the latest figures from the Gambling Commission which shows the rate of problem gambling among adults in the UK remains low by international standards at 0.3 per cent, down from 0.4 the year previous.

Michael Dugher said: “On behalf of the 119,000 people whose jobs are supported by our members – from the high street to hospitality, from tourism to world-leading British tech – I’d like to congratulate both Paul Scully MP on his new role and Michelle Donelan MP on her re-appointment as Secretary of State for DCMS. Our industry generates £4.5bn in taxes for the Treasury and contributes £7.7bn for the economy in gross value added.

“We are ready to work with DCMS to help find carefully targeted, proportionate measures which achieve the right balance. We want to continue to drive big changes and drive higher standards on safer gambling to better protect the most vulnerable, whilst at the same time ensuring that the 22.5 million punters who enjoy a flutter each month, perfectly safely and responsibly, have the freedom to do so.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to Damian Collins MP, the widely respected outgoing minister who was leading on the Review, for his willingness to engage with the industry and understand the contribution we make to the economy.”