Nannying ministers plan to slap cigarette-style ‘gambling kills’ messages on all bets under barmy rules
NANNYING ministers plan to slap cigarette-style “gambling kills” messages on all bets under barmy rules.
New laws would see banners designed by health chiefs appear on all betting slips — alongside statistics on average losses.
The details appear in the new gambling reform white paper which calls for a “robust, public health-led approach to safer gambling messaging through the user journey”.
The document, parts of which were leaked to The Sun, claims the approach will raise punters’ awareness “of the risks of gambling and associated harms”.
But in its conclusions, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) admits that warnings will not stop problem gamblers and accepts there is no universal solution to reduce gambling-related harm.
Critics accused officials of policing fun.
READ MORE POLITICS
One Tory MP said: “It sounds like overkill by the DCMS.
"The industry and charity partners are already doing world-leading work in tackling gambling addiction.
“The proposed solutions could even make the situation worse for problem gamblers who will just place bets with unregulated black market bookies.”
The white paper is due to be published next week — despite rumours outgoing PM Boris Johnson will axe it to let his successor bring it to Parliament.
Most read in The Sun
A DCMS spokesman said: “We’re undertaking the most comprehensive review of gambling laws in 15 years to ensure they are fit for the digital age.”
He said the white paper formed part of the review.