Vicky Foxcroft MP Set to Take UK Gambling Brief from Baroness Fiona Twycross

Vicky Foxcroft MP is set to become the UK minister responsible for gambling, taking over from Baroness Fiona Twycross at a time of regulatory and financial pressure on the sector. The Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed the move, though neither the Department for Culture, Media and Sport nor Foxcroft had formally confirmed the appointment as of the reporting. The transition occurs as operators continue to raise concerns about Financial Risk Assessments. Retail businesses also face uncertainty over potential tax changes affecting gaming machines, with proposals for higher taxation creating concern about possible venue closures.

Foxcroft, the Lewisham North MP, has served in Parliament for more than a decade after earlier work as a trade union official. Gambling has appeared in her past policy efforts, including support for high-street licensing reform and statements on gambling-related harm.

Foxcroft’s Record on Licensing and Harm Reduction

In October 2025, Foxcroft signed an Early Day Motion from Dawn Butler MP calling for abolition of the “aim to permit” principle in the Gambling Act. That stance now aligns with Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announced plans to remove the clause from retail licensing decisions.

After the 2021 collapse of Football Index, she called for a public health lens on gambling law. “I believe the law on gambling should be approached from a public health perspective to protect the vulnerable and particularly children and young people, but to allow others who choose to do so to gamble safely.” She added: “We need fit-for-purpose, evidence-based regulation that is targeted effectively to reduce gambling-related harm, and that can keep up with the changing nature of gambling online. We must also ensure the right support is in place to tackle the highly serious matter of problem gambling.”

Transition from Twycross and BGC Priorities

Twycross oversaw the shift to a mandatory statutory gambling levy as part of the Gambling Act 2005 review, replacing the prior GambleAware-led model. She also chaired the Illegal Gambling Taskforce, which targeted payment disruptions to black-market operators, offshore marketing, and coordination on unlawful remote and land-based activity. Consultations during her tenure examined unlicensed gambling sponsorship of sports clubs and events, including top-flight English football. She conducted site visits to industry operations in Stoke-on-Trent, Leeds, Liverpool and London.

BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst said: “I would like to congratulate Vicky Foxcroft MP on her appointment as Minister responsible for gambling.

We look forward to working with her to champion Britain’s casinos, betting shops and online betting, gaming and bingo businesses – an industry that brings enjoyment to millions of people, sustains 109,000 jobs, contributes billions of pounds to the economy and provides vital funding for some of Britain’s best-loved sports.” Hurst separately thanked Twycross for constructive engagement after she “made a genuine effort to understand our members” through venue visits and staff meetings.

The BGC has urged assessment of how post-White Paper regulatory measures interact with recent tax increases and their combined effect on employment and investment. Foxcroft’s emphasis on targeted, evidence-based rules will face immediate tests on those fronts.

Reporting: World Casino News

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