Vicky Foxcroft has been named the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Museums, Heritage, Gambling, and Lords, overseeing the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). She succeeds Baroness Twycross, who occupied the position since 2024.
Foxcroft, the MP for Lewisham North, has served as a Member of Parliament since 2015. In 2019, she held the role of shadow minister for DCMS, where she backed multiple stringent gambling reform proposals.
In her new capacity, Foxcroft has a history of advocating for gambling reforms, notably signing an early day motion concerning “high street gambling reform” in June 2025. This motion expressed unease over the insufficient regulatory powers available to curb the proliferation of gambling establishments, citing a statutory requirement aimed at permitting such venues.
The motion also highlighted restrictions that prevent councils from denying applications for new gambling locations within communities already saturated with such venues, acknowledging gambling as a significant public health concern.
Days ahead of Foxcroft’s appointment, Prime Minister Andy Burnham revealed a significant policy shift by reversing the “aim to permit” rule, introducing fresh measures to deal with betting and vape shops.
Foxcroft has previously characterized problem gambling as an “epidemic,” urging the government back in 2018 to prohibit credit card betting and allow banks to restrict problem gamblers from participating in online gambling through transactional bans.
In addition to her stance against credit card gambling, she has expressed support for a ban on gambling advertisements during live sporting events. Her advocacy aligns with the 1% statutory levy introduced in November 2024, requiring license holders to allocate between 0.2% and 1.1% of their annual gross gaming yield (GGY) towards research and initiatives to mitigate gambling-related harms. This levy was part of the broader Gambling Act review white paper.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) welcomed Foxcroft’s appointment, commending her for a balanced, evidence-based approach to gambling regulation that prioritizes the protection of vulnerable demographics, especially children and young people.
The BGC underscored Foxcroft's commitment to targeted regulation, indicating a willingness to collaborate with her. CEO Grainne Hurst stated, “We also look forward to working with the new minister to tackle the rapidly growing illegal gambling black market, which puts consumers at risk and contributes nothing to the economy or British sport.”
Hurst reiterated the industry's aim for regulations that are fair and consider the combined impact of increased taxes and regulations on employment, investment, and the viability of the regulated market. In a statement reflecting on Foxcroft’s predecessor, Hurst expressed appreciation for Baroness Twycross’s constructive engagement with the gambling industry throughout her ministerial tenure, during which she facilitated the creation of the gambling white paper and implemented the controversial financial risk assessments (FRAs).
