John Whittingdale MP is going to take over the ministerial responsibility of lotteries and gambling. That also means that he will be responsible for overseeing the gambling review that the government is currently undertaking. Along with the gambling review and lotteries, John Whittingdale is also going to lead the responsibility for horseracing. He is taking over the place of Nigel Huddleston.
John Whittingdale Takes Over Gambling Responsibilities
The government carried out the switch because of the huge workload that Nigel Huddleston currently has. That includes sport, heritage, and tourism responsibilities. These responsibilities are essential areas of interest, as they will power the recovery of the economy. There is also the Commonwealth Games that will take place next year in Birmingham.
John Whittingdale was the former culture secretary before he became the media and data minister at the DCMS. He is now going to be responsible for the Gambling Act of 2005 review that the government launched last December. The BGC's chief executive, Michael Dugher, welcomed John Whittingdale in his new role. He said that John has great respect and is an amazing politician who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. That says a lot about John Whittingdale, as the BGC represents a huge bulk of the regulated gambling sector. That includes high-street shops, online UK gaming sites, bingo, and casinos.
The BGC Comments on the Gambling Review and the New Appointment
The BGC also added that we live in uncertain times for many people who work in the gambling industry. Therefore, it is a time where they have to navigate everything carefully on the road to recovery. As a result, the UK gambling industry surely wants to play its whole part in the economy's kick-starting. It can do that by supporting jobs and growth and contributing to the exchequer.
The BGC also showed its support in welcoming the gambling review of the government. They see it as a great chance to build on the work that the industry has done in raising the standards. It also complements the work they did when it comes to promotes safer gambling and leading massive changes across the UK gambling industry.
The new Appointment Also had Negative Reviews
While the BGC welcomed the new appointment, the news was not received the same way among the gambling critics in the UK parliament. MP Ronnie Cowan, the VC of the Gambling Related Harm group, tweeted on the matter. He stated that when John Whittingdale was appointed to the CDMS in 2015, everyone predicted he would be soft on gambling, and it was true. Therefore, for the Gambling Act review, they hoped for someone who is open-minded, at the least.
Although John Whittingdale's brief includes racing, there will still be a crossover with Nigel Huddleston. It will be in terms of racing's role in sports' more comprehensive recovery from the current status that includes the spectators' return to the tracks.
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