Kevin Craig calls for inquiry into Gambling Commission after election bet case

Former Labour parliamentary candidate Kevin Craig has called for MPs to investigate the Gambling Commission. He claims that the way it handled an inquiry into his 2024 election bet cost Labour a seat in Parliament.

Craig, who stood in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, has asked the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to examine how the regulator handles investigations during election campaigns. He alleges that the Commission leaked news of its inquiry to the press. The Commission declined to comment on the allegations.

Labour suspended Craig nine days before polling day

Labour suspended Craig on 25 June 2024 after the Commission contacted the party about its investigation. Craig acknowledged that he had backed the Conservatives to win his constituency. He said he had placed the bet when he thought he had little chance of winning and intended to give any winnings to charity. He later said he had staked £800 for a potential £400 profit.

Conservative candidate Patrick Spencer went on to win the seat by 4,290 votes. Craig received 10,854 votes. This was 23.4% of those cast. He cites internal polling and results in constituencies with similar demographics as the basis for his claim that the investigation affected the outcome. He did not disclose the polling figures.

The Commission closed the case in December 2024. It concluded that there was insufficient evidence to meet the test for prosecution. Labour subsequently readmitted Craig. His case was separate from the Commission’s investigation into bets on the date of the general election.

Campaign also targets illegal gambling and regulator spending

Craig was the founder and chief executive of communications firm PLMR. He says he is paying for the campaign himself. He wants MPs to examine what safeguards the Commission has in place during the pre-election period. This is when public bodies are expected to exercise caution over activity that could draw attention away from the campaign.

“The same thing could happen to any candidate at the next election – we cannot let the Gambling Commission distort our democracy in this way.” – Kevin Craig

Craig’s statement accompanied a wider set of requests for the committee. He wants MPs to look at how the Commission allocates resources to fighting illegal gambling, how it produces its statistics and whether regulatory requirements on licensed operators have contributed to growth in the illegal market. He is also asking MPs to examine how money has been allocated between campaigning organisations and clinical treatment for gambling harm.

The campaign comes as the culture secretary considers candidates for the Commission’s next chief executive. Craig is asking the committee to examine the regulator’s decisions across both election periods and its day-to-day work overseeing Britain’s gambling market. The committee has yet to announce whether it will take up his request.