Vicky Foxcroft has officially taken on the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Museums, Heritage, Gambling, and Lords Minister, overseeing the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). She succeeds Baroness Twycross, who held the position since 2024.
Servicing as the MP for Lewisham North since 2015, Foxcroft previously served as the shadow minister for DCMS in 2019, during which she championed various initiatives for stringent gambling reforms.
In her recent work, Foxcroft supported an early day motion on High Street gambling reform that was tabled in June 2025. This motion expressed concerns regarding the insufficient regulatory powers over the proliferation of gambling establishments, citing the statutory aim to permit them. It also highlighted restrictions on councils’ capabilities to deny licenses for new gambling venues in already saturated areas, recognizing gambling as a significant public health issue.
Just days prior to her appointment, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a reversal of the 'aim to permit' rule for local authorities, unveiling new initiatives aimed at controlling betting and vape shops.
Foxcroft has been vocal about what she describes as the 'epidemic of problem gambling.' In a 2018 appeal, she urged the government to impose a ban on credit card betting and advocated for measures allowing banks to block gambling transactions for individuals identified as problem gamblers.
The incoming minister supports prohibiting gambling advertisements during live sporting events and has backed a statutory levy introduced in November 2024. This levy mandates that licence holders contribute between 0.2-1.1% of their annual gross gaming yield for research and prevention of gambling-related harm, which was outlined in the Gambling Act review white paper.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) expressed its support for Foxcroft's new appointment on Wednesday. The organization commended her previous efforts advocating for a balanced, evidence-based approach to gambling regulation, aimed at protecting vulnerable populations, especially young people, while permitting responsible adult gambling.
The BGC noted that it looks forward to collaborating with Foxcroft to address the increasing illegal gambling black market, which poses risks to consumers and fails to benefit the economy or British sports. Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC, emphasized the industry's commitment to policies that are proportional and that take into account the cumulative effects of regulation and recent tax hikes on job growth, investment, and the competitiveness of the regulated sector.
Hurst also highlighted her gratitude towards Foxcroft's predecessor, Baroness Twycross, commending her thoughtful and collaborative approach during her tenure as Minister responsible for gambling. Twycross was key in the introduction of the government's gambling white paper and played a significant role in implementing financial risk assessments (FRAs).
