There’s a lot of love flying around out there towards Baroness Twycross, especially following her BGC speech last week. But is the love bombing wearing thin? Let’s face it, there’s hardly much on the table for the industry so far. Surely it’s time to deliver …. and quickly.

The Betting and Gaming Council expressed strong support for gambling minister Baroness Twycross following her address at the group’s AGM this week. Despite some policy differences, the BGC welcomed Twycross’s speech, emphasising shared concerns. 

“We were absolutely delighted to welcome Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross to our AGM, and hear her valuable insights, particularly on the value our sector brings to the economy, and as a leisure activity,” BGC chief Grainne Hurst told City AM. “I’m pleased to say we are in full agreement on many of the key issues facing our sector, including the rising threat of black market gambling, which risks sport, tax take and customer safety.”

The BGC has shown its willingness to work with regulators by supporting new stake limits on online slots, and – in return – Twycross acknowledged that problem gambling affects only a small percentage of gamblers, reassuring industry sources concerned about overregulation.

“In my short time in post, I have seen the value this sector brings,” she said. “Not just in tax receipts and jobs created, but as a leisure activity, for example through a day at the races, enjoying a game of bingo, or time spent in a seaside arcade.”

“I know that the vast majority of people who gamble do so without experiencing harm, but it is in all our interests that we do better for those customers who could be vulnerable to gambling harm.”

Now that’s all great and welcome, but the industry has heard it all before. In fact by over a dozen gambling ministers in the five plus years it’s been waiting for modernisation. While the BGC has supported the new regulations – and is diplomatically savvy in doing so – Baroness Twycross has yet to put action to her words in any areas where it benefits and modernises the industry. Pushing through a few bits of legislation from the White Paper – published almost two years ago and consulted on for over three years before – is hardly energetic action. Patience is wearing thin – and that’s coming from a life-long Labour supporter who’s getting pretty irked by government inertia.