Vicky Foxcroft appointed gambling minister following DCMS reshuffle

Vicky Foxcroft MP has been appointed as the UK’s new gambling minister. She replaces Baroness Twycross in the role overseeing gambling policy within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The MP for Lewisham North enters the position with an established record on gambling reform. She has previously supported tighter controls on gambling premises and advertising, as well as measures designed to give consumers greater control over gambling transactions.

Foxcroft brings previous gambling reform experience

Foxcroft has served as an MP continuously since 2015, initially representing Lewisham, Deptford before becoming the MP for Lewisham North following boundary changes in 2024.

Her latest government appointment was formally recorded by  DCMS in July. She previously served as a government whip and held several shadow ministerial positions, including a role covering the culture department.

Foxcroft was among the MPs who supported an early day motion on high-street gambling reform. Tabled in June 2025, the motion called for councils to receive greater powers to prevent clusters of gambling venues developing in economically vulnerable communities.

It also argued that gambling should be treated as a public health issue and criticised the Gambling Act’s existing “aim to permit” principle.

Foxcroft added her name to the motion in October 2025. The government has since announced plans to revoke the rule, which currently restricts councils’ ability to reject premises applications when they meet the relevant licensing requirements.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the proposed change would give local authorities and communities a greater say over the opening of new betting shops and adult gaming centres.

Previous support for stricter controls

Foxcroft’s position on gambling reform extends beyond high-street premises.

Writing about fixed-odds betting terminals in 2018, she supported reducing the maximum stake to £2 and called for gambling with credit cards to be prohibited.

She also backed rules allowing customers experiencing gambling problems to ask their banks to block online gambling transactions.

Foxcroft expressed support for banning gambling advertising during live sport and introducing a compulsory levy equal to 1% of operators’ gross gambling yield.

A statutory gambling levy subsequently took effect in April 2025. Rates currently range from 0.1% to 1.1%, depending on the type of licence held, with the money supporting research, prevention and treatment relating to gambling harm.

BGC calls for balanced approach

The Betting and Gaming Council welcomed Foxcroft’s appointment and said it intended to work constructively with the incoming minister.

BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst highlighted the regulated industry’s economic contribution, including the employment it supports and the funding it provides to British sport.

“We look forward to working with her to champion Britain’s casinos, betting shops and online betting, gaming and bingo businesses.” – Grainne Hurst, BHC chief executive

Hurst also called for future policy to remain proportionate and properly targeted. She said ministers should consider the combined effect of regulation and recent gambling tax increases on employment, investment and the competitiveness of licensed operators.

The BGC additionally identified the illegal gambling market as an issue on which it hoped to work with Foxcroft, arguing that unlicensed operators expose consumers to greater risks while contributing no tax revenue or funding to British sport.

Foxcroft inherits the brief during the continued implementation of reforms originating from the 2023 Gambling Act white paper. Her responsibilities are expected to include oversight of the Gambling Commission, gambling harm policy and remaining changes to the regulatory framework.