GovWire

Good afternoon everyone,

And I wanted to start by thanking Liz and Charles for inviting me to speak at this event and thank you very much for your very powerful speech.

You have both been, as many of you have been in this room, tireless and devoted champions in this area, and I know Gambling with Lives does incredibly valuable work to support families in this room but also who are across the country.

Shortly after I was appointed I read your response to the call for evidence and I was struck by the harrowing stories of people like Robert and Fred, whose lives were ruined by gambling, and as a mother I cant begin to imagine the grief and sense of loss of all your families.

And though Ive only been Culture Secretary for three weeks, meeting all of you and hearing your experiences was one of the first things I wanted to do in this role.

Because its so important to hear directly from families who have been touched by these issues, and I really value your input when looking at gambling reform.

So thank you, Liz, thank you Charles, thank you everybody - and Im really pleased that your hard work was honoured in the New Year Honours List.

I have also read the House of Lords report on Gambling Harm Time for Action and I recently met with the lived experience advisory panel. I heard some really moving stories and I am struck by how diverse their experiences were.

One person had lost over 1 million. Another never bet more than 1 on a spin.

One young man had started gambling at the age of eleven. Many tried to self exclude but found the enticements drawing them back in just too difficult.

I also wanted to say that I know it must be very frustrating to have yet another ministerial team leading the governments work on gambling, and I know that you might be worried about further delays to the white paper.

So let me reassure you that White Paper is an absolute priority for me, and for the Prime minister, and we are committed to publishing it soon.

But I do want to give these issues justice and take some time to make sure that I do meet with you and others to really understand the issues. I am particularly conscious of the vulnerability of young people.

And of course you know very well, gambling doesnt just destroy the lives of the gamblers themselves, it has a devastating impact on their loved ones.

The Review of the Gambling Act is an opportunity to make the changes we need, and to make sure we have the right protections in place for the digital age.

Nearly every area of gambling policy is in scope, and I want to make sure your views are heard and reflected.

I am also conscious there are a variety of views on the way forward.

Of course, the White Paper when it is published will not be the last word on reform. Im really keen to keep talking to you all, and to make sure we understand the drivers of gambling harm and how we can protect the public.

So thank you so much for everything youve done so far.

And for everything Im sure youll continue to do in the months and years to come.