UK Labour Party Faces Internal Split Over Demands for Gambling Reforms

A brewing rebellion within Labour ranks sees backbench MPs collaborating with Conservative counterparts to demand sweeping reforms to the UK’s gambling laws. The revived All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Reform, co-chaired by Tory veteran Sir Lain Duncan Smith, has launched a landmark review of the UK Gambling Act 2005.

With evidence submissions open until September 12, 2025, the inquiry examines significant gaps in player protections, from real-time spending alerts to mandatory industry taxes. The MPs voice concerns that the outdated statutes fail to address the betting risks in the smartphone era.

Intra-Party Momentum

Duncan Smith warns that the current framework remains dangerously behind the curve of technological change, pressuring Starmer’s government to prioritize harm reduction over donor interest. “It is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure our regulatory framework is fit for the digital age to protect people from harm,” he explained. “This inquiry plays a crucial role in shaping our recommendations to government.”

The reform drive now extends beyond cross-party alliances, with Labour’s 2024 parliamentary cohort becoming crucial advocates for rewriting the UK’s gambling rules. Newly elected MPs Beccy Cooper, Andrew Pakes, Sarah Coombes, and former Royal Marine Alex Ballinger rally together, demanding to scrap the UK Gambling Act 2005 entirely, arguing reforms here and there cannot address systemic failures.

Mounting Supporting Arguments

“I think a new Gambling Act will be needed to meet our manifesto commitment to reducing gambling-related harm,” Cooper insisted, calling for the government to ban predatory products, eradicate youth-focused advertising, and dismantle gambling’s significant presence in sports sponsorships.

Ballinger, referencing his military experience with addiction crises, warned of regulatory blind spots, stating, “Today’s gambling industry requires stronger and more effective regulation across a range of areas—from advertising and taxation to the future of land-based gambling.”

Systemic Regulatory Shift

While the government has implemented some of the 2023 White Paper measures, including online slot bet limits and a statutory levy, reform advocates decry these as temporary fixes. The APPG’s review targets gaps in the administration’s approach, with potential recommendations ranging from limitations on sports sponsorship to oversight of crypto gambling and a total advertising ban, similar to tobacco laws.

Duncan Smith condemned current sports marketing policies as a “soft decision,” demanding statutory restrictions on football club betting sponsorships. The most contentious proposal involves transferring gambling regulation from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to the Department of Health and Social Care. The shift would redefine it as a national health crisis rather than entertainment.