The British government will on Thursday publish long-awaited proposals to crack down on gambling, aiming to bring regulations up to date with the rise in gambling on smartphones and online.

British media have reported the measures will include banning under-25s from betting more than GBP 2 (USD 2.49) per spin online, as well as forcing gambling firms to better scrutinize the financial resilience of punters.

“Today I’ll be updating gambling laws for the smartphone age to better protect people from gambling related harm,” Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, said on Twitter.

From football accumulators to the Grand National, the odd flutter is something millions enjoy.

But advances in tech means we all now have a casino in our pockets.

Today I'll be updating gambling laws for the smartphone age to better protect people from gambling related harm. https://t.co/CR232ov9aR

— Lucy Frazer (@lucyfrazermp) April 27, 2023

Frazer was quoted in the Times newspaper as saying the white paper would help “redress the power imbalance between punters and operators”.

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“There are blindspots in the system that are being exploited, keeping addicts addicted and disproportionately impacting some of our communities who are least able to afford it,” she said.

Other changes

The much-delayed white paper will also include plans to introduce a tax on betting firms to fund help for problem gamblers, the Sun newspaper reported.

The changes would be the biggest overhaul to the 14-billion-pound industry since the Gambling Act in 2005.

The Gambling Commission, which regulates the British market, estimated the overall headline problem gambling rate was 0.2 percent in 2022. However, charities claimed it was higher.