Vicky Foxcroft Named UK Gambling Minister in Government Reshuffle

^{Vicky Foxcroft has taken on the gambling brief at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport following a government reshuffle. (Photo: Diliff / Wikimedia Commons)}

Vicky Foxcroft has been appointed the UK's new gambling minister, taking on the brief at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of a government reshuffle.

According to gov.uk, Foxcroft has been named a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the department, the role that carries responsibility for gambling policy. She replaces Baroness Twycross, who has moved to a new position in the Cabinet Office.

The changes follow the reshuffle carried out by Andy Burnham, who became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026. Trade outlet EGR reported that Foxcroft, who has previously called for "evidence-based regulation" of the sector, would take on the gambling portfolio.

From Whip to Gambling Brief

Foxcroft, the Member of Parliament for Lewisham North, has held a series of frontbench and whip roles during her time in Parliament. Her arrival gives the industry a new ministerial point of contact at a time when several long-running policy questions remain unresolved.

Her predecessor oversaw the department's gambling work during the implementation of measures stemming from the sector's white paper, including changes to online stake limits and the statutory levy on operators. Continuity in that programme will be closely watched by operators and campaigners alike.

Sector Awaits Reform Direction

The appointment comes against a backdrop of debate over gambling taxation, with speculation that duties on the sector could rise in the autumn budget. Industry figures have warned that higher taxes could affect land-based venues and the wider online casino market, while campaigners continue to push for tighter controls.

Local powers over betting shops and gaming centres on the high street have also risen up the agenda, with the government signalling a crackdown on the clustering of such premises. The gambling minister typically works alongside the Gambling Commission, which regulates operators and enforces licensing conditions, and answers questions on gambling policy in the House of Commons.

Foxcroft inherits a brief that spans both online and land-based gambling, from casino and bingo operators to arcades and betting shops. How quickly she sets out her priorities will offer an early signal of the government's direction on gambling under the new administration.

The Gambling Act review's white paper, published in 2023, set in train a series of measures including a statutory levy on operators to fund research, prevention and treatment, online slot stake limits, and stronger affordability and financial-risk checks. Much of that programme has been rolling out in stages, and operators have sought clarity on the timetable for the remaining measures.

Taxation has emerged as a particular flashpoint. The increase in Remote Gaming Duty to 40% earlier this year has already prompted operators to cut marketing and costs, and industry figures have warned that further rises in the autumn budget could weigh on both online businesses and land-based venues.

Foxcroft's stated interest in evidence-based policymaking may shape how she approaches those questions, though the government has yet to set out detailed plans under the new ministerial line-up. Full details of the appointment are listed on the government's website.