The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has welcomed the new appointments at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate on promoting safer gambling, economic growth, and support for grassroots sports.
Lisa Nandy MP has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, joined by Stephanie Peacock MP as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DCMS. BGC Chair Michael Dugher congratulated the new ministers, representing the interests of the 110,000 people employed in the regulated betting and gaming industry and the 22.5 million individuals who place bets each month.
Lisa Nandy announced continued investment in grassroots sports, including extending funding for sports facilities and launching a national program for local clubs to manage their own pitches and facilities.
BGC members play a significant role in the UK economy, with nearly two-thirds of industry-supported jobs based outside London, including almost 20,000 in the West Midlands. Major tech hubs such as bet365 in Stoke and Flutter in Leeds exemplify the industry’s contribution. Additionally, betting shops support high streets, while casinos boost the hospitality and tourism sectors.
BGC members also provide substantial funding to popular sports at all levels. The Sky Bet-sponsored English Football League receives £40 million, William Hill sponsors the Scottish Professional Football League, and other members like Betway and Kindred support various sports. Horse racing benefits from £350 million, while snooker, darts, and rugby league (sponsored by Betfred) receive over £12.5 million.
Entain’s Pitching In sponsors the Trident League, supporting 250 clubs in the English football pyramid, and Flutter’s Cash4Clubs scheme has invested millions in community sports. Notably, Lisa Nandy’s Wigan constituency is home to the UK Tote Group headquarters, a key player in British racing.
Stephanie Peacock MP brings extensive knowledge of the regulated betting sector, having previously served as Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. She has been a strong supporter of Safer Gambling Week, attended the BGC AGM, and participated in the BGC’s Grand National Charity Bet campaign, raising funds for UK charities.
The BGC remains dedicated to implementing the evidence-based proposals in the White Paper, aimed at raising standards while fostering economic growth. These reforms, supported by both the BGC and Labour, include a statutory levy to address problem gambling, an Ombudsman for consumer redress, non-intrusive online checks, new stake limits for online slots, a Sports Sponsorship Code, and modernization proposals for land-based casinos.
The UK’s regulated betting and gaming industry supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2 billion in tax revenue, and contributes £7.1 billion to the economy. Monthly, around 22.5 million adults in Britain place bets, with the NHS Health Survey for England estimating that 0.4 percent of the adult population are problem gamblers.
In her first interview as Secretary of State, Lisa Nandy told the Manchester Evening News: “For too long, too many people in many parts of the UK have not seen their lives, their families, or their communities reflected in the story that we tell ourselves as a nation about ourselves and that I think has fed this real sense of alienation from governments, this sense of anger and division.
“We found multiple ways to divide ourselves from one another in recent decades and it’s been bad for our country, bad for our communities. So whether it’s through investing in grassroots sport, whether it’s through opening up opportunities in media, film, dance, drama to working-class kids in communities like Bolton and Bury, that is going to be the mission and the work of our government.”
At the BGC’s AGM in February, Stephanie said: “Labour recognises that almost half of adults participate in some form of gambling, with the majority doing so safely and in moderation.
“From bingo to the races, many forms of gambling are rightly considered part of our British cultural tradition.
“Further to this, I know the success of the sector is vital for the economy more broadly, whether that’s betting shops, casinos, online betting and gaming or the companies that develop games.
“BGC members support over 110,000 jobs, generate billions in both GVA and taxes, and contribute to the success of many of our beloved sports through sponsorship and media rights deals.”
Betting and Gaming Council Chair Michael Dugher, said: “On behalf of our members, the 110,000 people whose jobs rely on the regulated betting and gaming industry, and the 22.5 million people who enjoy a bet each month, I am delighted to welcome Lisa Nandy to her new position as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
“She has hit the ground running and, on a personal note, can I welcome her particular support to ensure DCMS supports working-class communities across the country. Betting has long been a part of working-class culture for many people – from bingo halls to betting shops – and our mission-critical support for great traditionally working-class sports like rugby league, darts, snooker and lower league football is well known.
“I would also like to congratulate Steph Peacock on her new role as Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, who joins Lisa Nandy MP in DCMS.
“Steph already has a deep knowledge of our sector and sport, having been Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for over a year, and I look forward to continuing working together.
“Both Lisa and Steph bring a wealth of experience to their new roles, backed by Labour’s welcome commitment to work with the industry. I would like to assure them both, they will have the full support and backing of this sector as we work together to drive economic growth and continue raising standards on safer betting and gaming.
“I also welcome Lisa’s announcement to increase investment into grassroots sports and clubs, including giving clubs the opportunity to take over their own pitches and facilities, something our members care deeply about, and also invest heavily in, through charitable donations and crucial sponsorship.
“From high streets to hospitality, from tourism to tech, our members generate £4.2bn in taxes for the Treasury and contribute £7.1bn to the wider economy. This is a sector ready to contribute on growth, jobs and investment in the economy.
“We are investing in virtually every constituency in the land, particularly in sport, where our members are providing vital financial backing, and we look forward to working with the new Ministers at DCMS to drive economic growth and investment.
“BGC members are currently in the midst of the biggest regulatory changes in a generation following the publication of the White Paper, which Labour backed, and much of this work carries on now the election has been completed.
“Work on the White Paper is backed by the industry’s own significant efforts to drive world-class standards and protections for the vulnerable, which has transformed the sector in recent years and stands in marked contrast to the dangers posed by the unsafe, unregulated black market online.
“The BGC and our members remain committed to working with Labour to implement the evidence-based, proportionate, regulatory changes outlined in the White Paper, ensuring those measures get the balance right between protecting the vulnerable, while allowing the vast majority of punters who enjoy betting responsibly to continue doing so without unnecessary intrusion.”