DCMS Finally Confirms New UK Gambling Minister

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The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that MP Stuart Andrew is the new government minister overseeing UK gambling policy, as the industry continues its long wait for the Gambling Act review white paper.

Andrew, who is already the minister for sport, tourism and civil society and minister for equalities, was appointed to his new role on March 7, a DCMS spokesperson confirmed to VIXIO GamblingCompliance.

The DCMS said it had not put out a press release to announce his additional portfolio as he is already overseeing sports policy at the department.

Andrew will take over from where MP Paul Scully, who was previously in charge of gambling at the DCMS, left off before he was moved to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on February 7.

Prior to this announcement, the DCMS had repeatedly told VIXIO that no gambling ministerial appointment had been confirmed.

Andrew is now the sixth person to be in charge of gambling policy since the much-delayed Gambling Act review white paper was announced by the UK government in late 2020.

The announcement comes soon after the Secretary of State at the DCMS, MP Lucy Frazer, gave a speech at the Gambling with Lives Annual Parliamentary Forum, where she said the white paper's release is a priority of hers and the Prime Minister and promised to publish it “soon”.

However, later in her speech, she admitted she wants “to give these issues justice and take some time to make sure that I do meet with you and others to really understand the issues. I am particularly conscious of the vulnerability of young people.”

Separately, speaking at the KnowNow Player Protection Forum in London on March 7, the release of the long-awaited Gambling Act review white paper was mentioned several times during the event, with its constant delays and lack of a clear publishing timeline the butt of ironic jokes.

Some participants guessed the white paper would be released around May, to which others jokingly asked: “In what year?”