By Ben Kerrigan-
Stuart Andrew, (pictured)the Conservative MP for Pudsey and the UK’s gambling minister, has announced his resignation following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call for a snap general election on 4 July. This unexpected development adds another layer of complexity to an already tumultuous political landscape.
Andrew took to X—formerly known as Twitter—yesterday to announce his departure from parliament. “As of midnight tonight, parliament will dissolve and there will be no members of parliament until after the general election,” Andrew wrote. “As the constituency of Pudsey, Horsforth, and Aireborough will no longer exist at this point, I am no longer a member of parliament. All the very best for the future to all of my former constituents.”
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Andrew, who held the position of parliamentary undersecretary of state for sport, gambling, civil society, and minister for equalities, leaves behind a legacy marked by significant contributions and rapid changes in the gambling sector. Appointed in March 2023, just a month before the long-awaited release of the Gambling Act review white paper, Andrew was the sixth minister to oversee this critical review.
Andrew’s tenure as gambling minister was short but impactful. He succeeded Paul Scully, the fifth minister appointed to the role in October 2022, following a rapid succession of predecessors including Damian Collins, Chris Philp, and Nigel Huddleston. The frequent changes at the helm highlighted the challenges and importance of the Gambling Act review.
Despite his resignation, the implementation of the Gambling Act review is expected to continue unabated. The Great Britain Gambling Commission (GBGC) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been diligently progressing with their assigned policies, ensuring the review’s momentum remains strong.
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Affordability Checks and Future Reforms
At the beginning of May, the GBGC outlined the next steps for some of the white paper’s most pressing policies, including affordability checks, online game design, consumer choice in direct marketing, and improved age verification for land-based operations. The most notable update was the launch of an affordability checks pilot, set to last six months, with assurances that customer experience will not be negatively impacted.
Tim Miller, the GBGC’s executive director, confirmed the imminent rollout of this pilot scheme in February, signaling a significant step towards more stringent gambling regulations. Additionally, the introduction of “light-touch” financial vulnerability checks is scheduled to begin in two stages—first in August 2024 and then in February 2025.
The Commission has also announced a series of bans on specific game features starting from 17 January 2025. These include the prohibition of features that create an illusion of control, such as “turbo” and “slam stops,” autoplay, and spin speeds under five seconds. Land-based license holders will face stricter age verification rules, and gambling companies will need to provide customers with options to opt-in for specific game type marketing.
Further reforms proposed by DCMS in May 2023 are set to reshape the land-based gambling sector. These include abolishing the ban on using debit cards on gaming machines, adjusting the ratio of gaming machines in bingo halls and arcades, and raising the age limit for low-stake Category D slot machines to 18. Licensing fees for maximum chargeable premises will also see a 15% increase.
Stuart Andrew’s resignation marks the end of a brief but notable chapter in the ongoing evolution of the UK’s gambling legislation. A
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