The UK Committee for Culture, Media and Sport meets again tomorrow at Westminster for its fifth meeting to look into the effectiveness of the Gambling Act 2005. The enquiry was announced in May 2011 and will be key to the reforms to gambling legislation and taxation the UK Government is currently planning.

At the previous meeting on 8th November testimonies were given by Probability, bwin.party, Betfair, Bet365 and the Remote Gambling Association. While such groups will be looking at ensuring that any reforms give the gambling industry the best possible commercial opportunity, evidence tomorrow is likely to emphasise the damage that gambling can do to the public and the need for greater protection.

Representatives making their way to the meeting in London at 10:30 will include those from GamCare, CARE, Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs (QAAD), the Evangelical Alliance, The Methodist Church, The Salvation Army, the National Centre for Social Research and a gambling specialist from the University of Birmingham.

Key topics being discussed:

• How effective the Act has been in its core objectives to ensure that gambling is maintained crime-free and conducted in an open and fair manner. How effective the Act has been in protecting children and vulnerable people from the adverse effects of gambling.
• What impact the Act has had on levels of problem gambling.
• How the legislative framework needs updating with regards to online gambling. The financial impact of the Act on the UK gambling industry.
• The effectiveness of the Gambling Commission since its establishment, and whether it represents good value for money.
• The impact of the proliferation of off-shore online gambling operators on the UK gambling sector and what affect the Act has had on this.
• Why the Act has not resulted in any new licences for casinos or super casinos.
• The effectiveness of the classification and regulation of gaming machines under the Act.