Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, responding to the Gambling Commission’s ‘Young People and Gambling 2017 Survey’, said:

“This new research from the gambling commission shows that there are still far too many young people gambling in Britain today.

“It is worrying that children continue to be bombarded with adverts promoting gambling through TV, online and via social media. 80 per cent of young people say they see gambling adverts on TV each week.

“The rise of ‘skins’ gambling and other forms of gambling online or in games which encourage children to trade-in cosmetic online items for cash, only serve to demonstrate that our gambling laws are woefully out of date.

“The next Labour government will bring in a new Gambling Act that ensures our gambling laws are fit for the digital age and finally tackle Britain’s hidden gambling epidemic.”