To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 1 May (HL7099), what assessment they have made of the responses to the consultation on proposals for changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures; when they intend to announce the implementation date for the reduced £2 stake for Fixed Odds Betting Terminals; and whether they plan to make such an announcement in their forthcoming Budget statement.
Answered on
16 October 2018
The draft Statutory Instrument needed to reduce the maximum stake on sub-category B2 machines to £2 was notified to the European Commission in September under the requirements of the EU Technical Standards and Regulations Directive. We intend to lay the draft affirmative regulations before Parliament, for the usual process of approval, in the Autumn term.Questions about gambling participation are included in the large scale English and Scottish Health Surveys and an alternative omnibus survey for Wales. The Combined Health Survey for England, Scotland and Wales 2016 results were published on 6 September 2018 and can be found at https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-behaviour-in-Great-Britain-2016.pdf. A copy of the survey is attached.
In addition, the Gambling Commission collects participation data through smaller scale quarterly telephone and online surveys and monitors underage gambling through its young persons survey. The latest information can be found at: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/Statistics-and-research/Levels-of-participation-and-problem-gambling/Gambling-participation-and-problem-gambling.aspx. A copy is attached.