The 173-page report, titled Gambling Harm – Time for Action: Follow-up report, argues that a tobacco-style ban, with exceptions for the lottery and racecourses, would be the most effective way to cut harms linked to gambling, including financial ruin, relationship breakdown, and suicide.
The cross-party committee said the government has been too passive in addressing the growth of digital advertising and social media influencers promoting gambling. It’s the eighth follow-up report the committee has produced since 2019, revisiting a 2020 inquiry into the industry’s social and economic impact. The report estimates that between 1 and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain show signs of problem gambling, while UK bookmakers, casinos, and slot machine venues took in £12.6 billion from customers during 2025.
The report from the committee chaired by Senior Deputy Speaker Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede states:
“We consider that the Government’s dual objectives of reducing gambling harm, as stated in the 2024 election manifesto, and facilitating the growth of the gambling sector, as stated by the Minister, represent a fundamental tension within the Government’s approach.”
Lord Foster, one of the report’s authors, added:
“We are clear that this would shrink, rather than grow, the gambling sector and that this would make a positive difference to millions of people across the country.”
The report also agrees that a full ban would likely reduce the UK gambling sector but argues this would bring longer-term economic benefits as spending moves to other spheres.
