Tag: gambling

Bishop of St Albans says Gambling Commission inadequately resourced

On 10th September 2020 Members of the House of Lords questioned Government on what plans they have to review gambling legislation. Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, asked a question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans (V): My Lords, with the significant increase in gambling harms during lockdown, are Her Majesty’s Government satisfied that the Gambling Commission has adequate resources to do its work? Is the Minister content with the commission reducing its staffing to make savings at the very point when it needs to take additional action to regulate online gambling? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans says Gambling Commission inadequately resourced”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about funding for gambling-related harm

On 3rd July 2020 the Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, received a written answer to a question from Baroness Barran on gambling.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL6028 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 2 July 2019 (HL Deb, cols 1344–6), and in the light of the pledge made by the Betting and Gambling Council’s five largest members this week, whether the announcement made in the July 2019 statement is now null and void; and if not, where the money has been distributed; what involvement Her Majesty’s Government had in the announcement by the Betting and Gambling Council; and why is the money no longer being distributed by the committee launched by Lord Chadlington.

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Time to act to reduce gambling-related harm, says Lords report

On 2nd July 2020 the House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry published its findings. The Bishop of St Albans had served as a key member of the Committee. The press notice from the Committee website is reproduced below:

Time to act to reduce gambling-related harm, says Lords report

2 July 2020

The House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry today warns that more needs to be done to prevent gambling-related harm. The liberalisation of gambling by the Gambling Act 2005, the universal adoption of smart phones, and the exploitation of soft-touch regulation by gambling operators has created a perfect storm of addictive 24/7 gambling. The Committee expects the Government and the regulator to make changes now. Many of the report’s recommendations do not need legislation, and all of them are urgent if consumers are to be protected and lives saved.

The report can be downloaded from the Parliament website here.

Continue reading “Time to act to reduce gambling-related harm, says Lords report”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about link between mental health and gambling

On 2nd June 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on mental health and gambling-related harm.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL4536 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Royal Society for Public Health Problem gambling and suicidality in England: secondary analysis of a representative cross-sectional survey, published on 12 May; and what regulatory measures they have changed as a result of evidence linking gambling-related harm and suicide.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about progress in reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act

On 4th May 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on the review of the 2005 Gambling Act:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL3158 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 1 April (HL2887), what is the nature of the scoping work being undertaken; who is involved in that work; and when they anticipate concluding such work. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about progress in reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about progress on reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act

On 1st April 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on reviewing the Gambling Act 2005:

 The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL2887 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 18 March (HL2292), whether they will now answer the question put: when the (1) terms of reference, (2) call for evidence, and (3) deadlines, of the review of the Gambling Act 2005 will be announced. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about progress on reviewing the 2005 Gambling Act”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about review of 2005 Gambling Act

On 18th March 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer from Government to a question on a review of the Gambling Act:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL2292 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Barran on 5 March that they will review the Gambling Act 2005 with “great urgency”, when the (1) terms of reference, (2) call for evidence, and (3) deadlines, of that review will be announced. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about review of 2005 Gambling Act”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government to respond to latest report on gambling participation, awareness and attitudes

On 12th March 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to three questions he had tabled on the annual report of the Gambling Commission into participation, awareness and attitudes:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:

(1) HL2092 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the annual report by the Gambling Commission Gambling participation in 2019: behaviour, awareness and attitudes, published in February, which shows of the general public (1) 29 per cent agreed it would be better for gambling to be banned, (2) 62 per cent believe gambling should be discouraged, and (3) 82 per cent said there were too many opportunities to gamble.

(2) HL2093. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the annual report by the Gambling Commission Gambling participation in 2019: behaviour, awareness and attitudes, published in February, that gambling participation amongst 16 to 24 year olds has increased by four per cent.

(3) HL2094. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the annual report by the Gambling Commission Gambling participation in 2019: behaviour, awareness and attitudes, published in February, that overall gambling participation is declining yet rates of problem gambling are unchanged. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government to respond to latest report on gambling participation, awareness and attitudes”

Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling, bankruptcies and sports sponsorship

On 9th March 2020 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to two written questions, about gambling and bankruptcy, and gambling firms sponsoring football shirts

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL1785 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Insolvency Service’s figures which show gambling to be a feature in 373 bankruptcies last year, an increase from 158 in 2015–16.

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Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts

On 5th March 2020 Lord Beecham asked the Government “what steps they will take to support the Gambling Commission to address problem gambling.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, at a time when the NHS is facing such unbelievable pressures from the coronavirus, it is also having to set up 14 gambling clinics across the country to try to deal with this situation. The industry has a gross gambling yield of £14 billion a year. Is it not time to bring in a statutory levy, so that the polluter pays for the damage being caused? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for levy on gambling industry to pay for treatment of addicts”