Vicky Foxcroft MP has been appointed as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Museums, Heritage, Gambling and Lords Minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). She takes over the role from Baroness Twycross, who held the position since 2024.
Foxcroft, representing Lewisham North, has served as an MP since 2015. In 2019, she acted as shadow minister for the DCMS, where she supported various measures aimed at reforming gambling regulations. This includes advocating for an early day motion on "High Street gambling reform" introduced in June 2025, which highlighted the need for stronger powers to regulate gambling premises and addressed the limitations faced by councils in rejecting new gambling venue applications within oversaturated areas. This motion underscored the recognition of gambling as a public health concern.
Recently, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a change to the existing "aim to permit" policy for councils, introducing new measures to regulate betting and vape shops. Foxcroft has also raised concerns about the widespread issue of problem gambling, calling for a ban on credit card betting in 2018 and advocating for banks to be allowed to block online gambling transactions for individuals identified as problem gamblers.
Additionally, Foxcroft has voiced support for prohibiting gambling advertisements during live sports broadcasts and endorsed the 1% statutory levy introduced in November 2024. This levy requires license holders to contribute between 0.2% and 1.1% of their annual gross gambling yield (GGY) to research and prevention of gambling harms, aligning with the reforms outlined in the Gambling Act review white paper.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) expressed its approval of Foxcroft's new appointment, noting her previous advocacy for a regulated approach to gambling that protects vulnerable groups, especially children and young people, while allowing responsible adult gambling. They indicated their intent to collaborate productively with Foxcroft, emphasizing the need to address the illegal gambling black market, which poses risks to consumers and detracts from the economy and British sports.
Grainne Hurst, BGC’s CEO, highlighted the industry's pursuit of policies that are proportionate and take into account the overall impact of current regulations and tax increases on jobs, investment, and the competitiveness of the regulated gambling sector. Hurst also acknowledged the contributions of Baroness Twycross, thanking her for her thoughtful and constructive engagement with the gambling industry during her tenure.
