UK’s DCMS has named MP Damian Collins as the new Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy. The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State takes over as Gambling Minister from Chris Philip, right in the thick of the gambling sector’s regulatory revamp.
On Tuesday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) announced Damian Collins as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of online safety, Tech, and the Digital Economy. The new sheriff in town has now taken up the mantle of gambling and racing after the resignation of Chris Philp a week ago. Philip, the former Gambling Minister, stepped down in protest, citing a lack of confidence in the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Collins studied modern history at the University of Oxford’s St Benet’s Hall and, in 1995, became the Oxford University Conservative Association’s president. While this is his first ministerial role, he is an experienced policy maker, having chaired the House of Commons DCMS Select Committee between 2016 to 2019. Additionally, Collins is a conservative MP and has represented Folkestone & Hythe since his election in 2010.
The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State will be the fourth minister to lead the Gambling Act review since it was launched in 2020 and the eighth gambling minister in four years. Before Chris Philp, the regulatory overhaul was first overseen by Nigel Huddleston and later John Whittingdale.
Following his appointment on Tuesday, Collins accepted the DCMS nomination and his new responsibilities to oversee the Gambling Act review in an official statement posted on his Twitter handle, saying:
Quote“I’m honored to have been appointed to serve as Online Safety Minister at the DCMS. After my work on these issues over the years, I’m looking forward to taking the UK’s world-leading Online Safety Bill through its remaining stages in the House of Commons before the summer recess.”
A Warm Welcome to a DCMS Veteran
Unlike his predecessor Chris Philp, who pushed for stricter regulation of fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in 2018, Collins has received a warmer welcome from gambling industry stakeholders. In a tweet, Michael Dugher, the Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – UK’s gaming industry trade body, wrote:
Quote“Many congratulations to @DamianCollins on his appointment as Minister at DCMS. Highly rated and respected, and thoroughly well-deserved. Someone who actually knows something about his brief too – whatever is the world coming to?!"
Moreover, after Collins assumed office, the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (Bacta) sent a letter congratulating him on his appointment as the undersecretary at DCMS. The letter read in part:
Quote“Congratulations on your appointment as Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy. We enjoyed a positive working relationship with your predecessor, Chris Philp MP, and look forward to enjoying a similarly productive relationship with you and your team.”
Peter Hannibal, CEO of UK’s Gambling Business Group (GBG), a gaming sector association focused on the industry’s prosperity, also welcomed Collins to his new position. He requested Collins to visit the gambling venues and take a look at how much the members of the GBG have invested in the high street. Additionally, the GBG CEO urged the new industry overlord to come and observe how they are employing locals, helping sustain local supply chains and ensuring their customers experience safe gambling entertainment.
The Gambling Act Review So Far
Before resigning, Philp signaled that online slots and casinos would be highlighted in the document. Further, in his submissions about lotteries and instant games, the former Gambling Minister quoted a 2018 health survey that suggested the gambling rates in England were at about 0.9% for draw-based games and around 1.4% for scratch cards – which he labeled as minor issues in the gambling industry.
The review is expected to tackle the wager and spending caps, limiting maximum bets to between £2 (~$2.5) to £5 (~$6), banning free bets, and introducing new rules around bonuses and advertising. Another decision the DCMS was expected to make on July 21 is regarding betting shirt sponsorships in Premier League football.
Furthermore, iGaming companies might be required to remove features from online games that increase players’ risk levels. On the same note, operators may also be required to include affordability checks to indicate how much players can safely bet.
Once the Gambling act review is published, it will end the 20-month-long wait and provide closure to reformists and the gaming stakeholders. Pro-gambling parties are lobbying for reasonable measures that will not harm the gambling industry and push punters to the black market.
The United Kingdom is also patiently waiting for the publication of the white paper because it will deliver the country’s gambling laws into a digital age. However, with the document expected to be released as soon as next week, there have been concerns that the resignation of Boris Johnson and Chris Philp would affect when the Gambling Act white paper would be published. As a result, reports suggest that the white paper will be shelved once more until a new Prime Minister is appointed.
Bacta Renews its Calls for Restitution of Credit Card Gambling
Meanwhile, John White, the CEO of Bacta, has penned a letter to the newly appointed Gambling Minister touching on the subject of credit card gambling. In the letter, Bacta’s CEO has raised concerns over reports that the Gambling Act review would not grant the request to use debit card transactions in gambling machines at land-based gambling locations. Part of White’s letter read in part:
Quote“It is vital that the upcoming review recognizes the importance of the land-based sector to the wider industry, whilst also taking steps to ensure that those businesses on our high streets, seafronts, and across the supply chain are given the support they need to flourish. It is our view that, while the review is supposed to be about bringing the act into the digital age and redressing the balance between online and offline, such a move disadvantages members like ours, and stands in contrast to the wider societal trends towards cashless payments.”
White further pointed out that the white paper should result in a system that provides socially responsible products, gives the Gambling Commission the powers it requires, and is up to date.
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