New Green Party MP Suggests How She Would Change UK Gambling Industry

Hannah Spencer became the latest Green Party MP last week following her stunning win in the Gorton and Denton by-election. It represented the Greens’ first-ever Westminster by-election victory, and they toppled Labour, who originally seized control of the Greater Manchester seat in 2024.

While it represented a seminal moment in the Greens’ political history, it also suggested a significant win for the UK betting community. Indeed, Spencer has floated some sensible suggestions to shake up the gambling sphere, which may placate companies.

Shifting the betting conversation

Since the November budget presented by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, betting companies have found themselves on uncertain footing. An increase in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) paid on online casino betting will rise from 21% to 40% next month, while general duty paid on online sports betting will increase from 15% to 25% in April 2027.

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) have been implementing new measures to tackle the gambling industry; however, Spencer believes more needs to be done. Despite the challenging climate, Spencer thinks brick-and-mortar venues need to clean up their act.

During a chat on a podcast with Greens leader Zak Polanski, Spencer said:

“Betting shops tend to be in places where more people are poor, and they’re targeted by the betting companies who are just lining their own pockets.

“I’m proud that in the Green Party, we don’t take money from gambling companies. We’re not bankrolled by gambling companies or lobbyists. I don’t want to live in a world where kids are watching football, and they’re just exposed to gambling adverts. I don’t think we should have companies whose only aim in life is to bleed people dry.”

Rooting out problem gambling

Problem gambling has become a pressing issue in the UK. Recent figures bandied about by NHS England and the UKGC showed some disparity. Yes, the UKGC’s survey carried out in October 2025 noted 2.7% of UK bettors were problem gamblers, whereas the NHS suggested the figure was around the 5% mark.

Spencer admitted it is hard to tie down the effects of problem gambling; however, she insisted that more resources are required to curb this issue. She added:

“It’s not just on individuals themselves, it’s on their friends and families.

“People I know have had gambling addictions. I don’t want to live in a world where one gambling company Chief Executive earned £500 million off the back of people’s misery, while we live in a society where people rely on food banks.

“And if you’ve got a gambling addiction because you’ve been targeted by these companies, there’s no help on the NHS; it’s charities that are left to pick up the pieces.”

Fending off black market operators

While Spencer has previously taken fire at Reform leader Nigel Farage over his views on the gambling industry, what was perhaps surprising was that Spencer failed to tackle the role played by black market operators.

Indeed, data cited by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) indicated that over 50% of those polled believed higher taxes would push bettors more towards rogue sites.

BGC CEO, Grainne Hurst, hasn’t held back in her views on black market gambling sites. Upon sharing the results of UK betting trends, she said:

“Illegal gambling sites do not pay tax. They do not contribute to British sport.

“They do not invest in safer gambling, and they do not protect vulnerable people. If the government wants growth and genuine customer protection, it must back the regulated sector, not make it less competitive against criminals.”