The merry-go-round of gambling ministers has seen 7 take office in the last 7 years. No wonder nobody wanted the music to stop as the Burnham government deliberated on the next incumbent. Well, after nine weeks of waiting, the worst kept secret in political appointments was confirmed: Vicky Foxcroft is the new minister of gambling. And Youth. And Civil Society. And National Lottery. And Digital Inclusion and Skills, And Loneliness. This old Vic has certainly got her work cut out.

DCMS has officially confirmed Vicky Foxcroft as the new minister for gambling, adding the MP for Lewisham North’s remit will also cover a broad range of sectors and issues, including digital inclusion, young people, and loneliness.

Formally titled the Minister for Youth, Gambling, Digital Inclusion, Civil Society and Loneliness, Foxcroft will make her public debut as the government’s voice on gambling at the Labour Conference next week.

Foxcroft is booked in to speak at a party Conference event titled What Next for Gambling Reform: Time for a New Act?

 Bringing joy and levity to the proceedings will be Ashcroft’s Labour MPs Alex Ballinger and Dawn Butler, members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform, and experts in misery and misinformation.

But, speaking immediately to her base rather than the industry is not the most encouraging sign. Indeed, media outlet Gambling News observed: “Curiously, the discussions do not appear to include representatives of the gambling industry.”

The omission was also noted by Deal Me Out CEO Jordan Lea, who said the panel would act as “an echo chamber,” while Star Sports founder Ben Keith said “the city has the busiest over the counter sports and racing betting-shops in the country. You haven’t invited any of these happy punters onto your panel.”

Foxcroft has limited gambling experience, having previously served as a junior lord of the Treasury before joining DCMS in July, with Next.io noting she will now be “under heavy pressure to call for a new Gambling Act.”

In fairness, the industry has only been waiting for seven years to reach this stage of the current Gambling Act review – so starting all over again would seem par for the course for another shambolic but comedic Road to Gambling Reform.

Better dig up Bob Hope,  Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamar, unless of course  Burnham, Butler and Vicky Foxcroft are available for another long running comedy of government mishaps on gambling policy.