UK Gambling Ombudsman Idea Revisited During Parliamentary Debate

The idea of appointing a UK gambling ombudsman was brought back to the table during a Parliamentary debate this week. This long-delayed issue seemed like it had been swept under the carpet for good, however, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Reform, resurrected the matter.

Currently, the Gambling Commission is in charge of overseeing and regulating commercial gambling activity in the country. However, choosing an independent ombudsman is viewed as being important to bridging the gap between politicians, consumers, and the industry while ironing out any unnecessary conflicts.

Been here before

Creating an ombudsman is supposed to resolve gambling disputes that crop up, which in turn, would take some of the pressure away from the Gambling Commission. It was initially discussed in a gambling white paper published in April 2023, and it was hoped the position would be filled within 12 months of the white paper being released.

However, there has been little movement since. During the debate, Smith demanded answers over the ombudsman topic.

He said:

“Some two years ago, it was recommended very clearly that a gambling ombudsman should be set up. So far, across two governments, nothing has happened on that.”

Caveats tied to the position

Responding to Smith, Ian Murray, Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, suggested the ombudsman position “hasn’t been ruled out”. He also claimed the government viewed the post as “the most effective way to deliver independent alternative dispute resolution”.

While the spectre of an ombudsman paints a positive picture of the direction UK gambling could take, Murray said there are some caveats tied to it.

Addressing Smith, he said:

“Work on this is ongoing, but it will require primary legislation, and we are conscious of the need to put in place an appropriate mechanism as soon as possible.

“With all the other things that we want to do to try to bed this in, we are very conscious that the industry is having to deal with an awful lot of change at the moment, but it is still on the agenda.”

Tax reforms spark discourse

The change that Murray was referring to was the shake-up caused by what was revealed in the Autumn Budget last week. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced Remote Gambling Duty (RGD) rates for online casino betting will rise from 21% to 40% in April 2026, while general duty paid on digital sports betting was bumped up from 15% to 25%, and this will come into effect in April 2027.

But Murray was quick to reject suggestions that the government is anti-gambling.

He added:

“I’ve set out some of the measures we have introduced in support of the sector through the budget.

“We’ve sought to limit the impact on the high street and protect activities that are lower risk and have greater levels of employment, and we recognise the danger posed by the illegal market for those in the regulated sector as well as those at risk of gambling-related harm.”

Other items on the agenda

Last week, the Gambling Commission policy director outlined his vision to make betting safer in the UK. Within that, he mentioned giving local councils more authority over licensing decisions for gambling establishments.

This was discussed during the parliamentary debate, along with tougher restrictions on gambling advertising on TV and social media to stop bettors heading to the black market. While details surrounding an ombudsman remain hazy, there are still things in the in-tray for the Gambling Commission and government to thrash out.