Vicky Foxcroft has been named the new parliamentary under-secretary of state for Museums, Heritage, Gambling, and Lords minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). Her appointment comes as she takes over from Baroness Twycross, who served in the role until 2024.
Foxcroft, the MP for Lewisham North since 2015, previously held the position of shadow minister for DCMS in 2019, advocating for several strict gambling reform proposals during that time.
Notably, she contributed to an early day motion concerning "high street gambling reform" introduced in June 2025. This motion raised alarms about the "lack of sufficient powers to regulate the spread of gambling premises due to the statutory aim to permit". It further criticized councils’ limitations in rejecting new gambling venue applications in oversaturated areas, framing gambling as a "public health issue".
Just days before Foxcroft's appointment, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a reversal of the "aim to permit" policy for councils, unveiling new initiatives aimed at regulating betting and vape shops.
Foxcroft has also voiced concerns about what she referred to as the "epidemic of problem gambling." In 2018, she urged the government to ban credit card gambling and allow banks to block online transactions for individuals identified as problem gamblers. Additionally, she has shown support for prohibiting gambling advertisements during live sports and has backed the implementation of a 1% statutory levy, which began in November 2024.
This levy mandates license holders to contribute between 0.2% and 1.1% of their annual Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) towards research and initiatives aimed at preventing gambling-related harms. This measure was part of the Gambling Act review documented in the white paper.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) expressed its support for Foxcroft in her new position, commending her past efforts for a balanced, evidence-based approach to gambling regulation that protects vulnerable populations, especially children and young adults, while ensuring safe gambling for adults.
The BGC underscored Foxcroft’s commitment to regulation that is both properly focused and effective, indicating plans to work positively with her. CEO Grainne Hurst highlighted the urgency of addressing the growing illegal gambling market that poses risks to consumers and fails to benefit the economy or British sports. She urged for policies that take into account the cumulative effects of recent regulations and tax hikes on job creation, investment viability, and competitiveness within the regulated sector.
Hurst also acknowledged the contributions of Foxcroft’s predecessor, Baroness Twycross, noting her constructive engagement with the industry and her role in the creation of the government’s gambling white paper, including the introduction of financial risk assessments (FRAs).
