Outcome of DCMS gaming machine review postponed to October at the earliest

The following response to a “Topical Question” in the House of Commons on 29 June confirms that the outcome of the DCMS review of gaming machines and social responsibility measures has been delayed until October 2017 at the earliest:

  • Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con): This House never intended vulnerable people in less-well-off areas to lose £100 several times a minute on fixed odds betting terminals. When will we have the opportunity to bring the stake down to £2?
  • The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch): Mr Speaker, I know that you always encourage brevity in topical questions, so I apologise for giving a tediously processy response. Although we launched the review in October 2016, purdah interrupted the final stages of our consideration of the evidence received and the subsequent internal cross-Government process of approval and sign-off, so I am afraid we are back at the start of the process. As a consequence of that taking at least 12 weeks, I would not expect any further announcement until October at the earliest.

Following the above Parliamentary exchange, Tracey Crouch, commented on Twitter that the review was “Definitely not in long grass. Process is really important on this issue.” 

Update: On 12 September 2017 in an article in The Times entitled Treasury backs down on fixed-odds betting curbs it was reported that “fixed-odds betting terminals ….. will be subject to new curbs after Philip Hammond [the Chancellor of the Exchequer] dropped his opposition to limiting their maximum stake”