Gambling Commission licence conditions require operators to monitor play and intervene where there are signs that a customer may be at risk of experiencing harm, including by spending more than they can afford. Guidance issued by the Commission in May makes clear that operators must set realistic spend/deposit thresholds for triggering affordability assessments.

On 3 November, the Commission launched a consultation and call for evidence on more prescriptive requirements for operators to identify and intervene with customers who may be at risk of harm. This included a specific process for assessing affordability and particular consideration will be given to the spending/ loss thresholds at which it might be proportionate to require operators to complete affordability checks. The call for evidence runs until January and next steps will be announced once the evidence has been considered.

In July, the House of Lords Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry published its report which recommended that the law should be amended to place a statutory duty of care on operators. The government is considering that recommendation and others made by the Committee carefully and will publish its response in due course.

Gambling advertising is subject to strict controls on content and placement which mean that it must never be targeted at children or seek to appeal directly to them. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is currently consulting on proposals to strengthen rules on content further to minimise the possibility of gambling ads appealing to children. In 2019 the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising was amended to include a whistle-to-whistle ban on betting adverts being shown during live sport, including football, before the 9pm watershed.

The government does not hold figures on the number of children who see gambling advertising while watching football. However, the Gambling Commission’s 2019 Young People and Gambling Survey found that 50% of 11-16 year olds had seen or heard gambling adverts linked to a sports event. In addition, the ASA has published data on children’s exposure to gambling advertising on TV. During 2019, the last full year for which there is available data, children saw an average of 0.3 sports betting ads per week, down from 0.7 in 2018. Figures published by the gambling industry indicate that children’s exposure to gambling advertising during live sport has fallen by 70% since the introduction of the whistle-to-whistle ban.

We welcome the committee’s report on the ageing population that was published last week. We will consider its recommendations carefully and respond in due course. Effective reform of public services is critical if we are to meet the needs of an ageing population and ensure long-term sustainability. We have put in place an ambitious programme of reform across a wide range of government policy areas, including pensions, health, social care, housing and employment.