Five years ago, in 2019, the UK’s Conservative Party released a manifesto, outlining a number of proposed changes. Those efforts played a key role in the launch of the gambling reform in the country which involved a review of the Gambling Act.
Several years after the launch of the review, the Gambling Act White Paper was released last spring, marking the first important step toward the overhaul of the gambling sector in the European country. Yet, while gambling was a part of the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto, this was not the case for its recently released manifesto.
On Tuesday, the party disclosed its 2024 election manifesto, coming ahead of the planned general election scheduled for July. The recently released manifesto revolved around three pillars, namely “Clear Plan. Bold Action. Secure Future.” In their manifesto, the Conservative Party addressed many important topics, including efforts toward a stronger economy, ensuring the future of young people through new opportunities, as well as safeguarding the country’s borders and national security.
Additionally, the manifesto focused on ensuring the safety of communities by boosting NHS productivity, hiring more doctors and nurses as well as police officers. Despite the robust plans, the Conservative Party’s manifesto did not include even one reference to gambling or gambling activities.
Liberal Democrats Vow to Fight Illegal Gambling
But while the Conservative Party’s 80-page manifesto did not include references to gambling, this was not the case for their rival, the Liberal Democrats. The Democrats’ manifesto is 117 pages long and addresses a number of hot topics, including education, the economy, health, care and the natural environment among others.
Per the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto, the “election is our chance to win the change our country desperately needs.” The political party added: “Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to elect a strong local champion who will fight for a fair deal for you and your community.”
As noted, unlike the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto included a range of provisions primarily targeting problem gambling. Their manifesto seeks to combat problem gambling by proposing restrictions related to advertising, the establishment of a Gambling Ombudsman as well as implementation of affordability checks.
In their manifesto, the Liberal Democrats vowed to take “tough action against black market gambling.” The party also pledged to introduce a compulsory levy applicable to gambling operators. The funds generated from the levy are expected to help with research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm.