Expected reading time 5 mins
Last Updated: January 12, 2026
Written by Jon Bryan
Jon Bryan argues that the UK government was short-sighted in 2025 and that they could do with putting their glasses on this year.
THE CONTINUOUS ATTACK ON GAMBLING
“These shortsighted attacks on gambling…are part of a broader crusade against pleasure.”
This is how Rupert Hawksley described the Labour government’s latest policies on gambling. He is spot on. His article in The Spectator details the impact of the gambling tax rises that were announced in the budget, and which are due to take effect in the next few months. I’ve written elsewhere about the impact that they will have on gambling and gamblers, so I won’t repeat any of that here, but it is worth thinking about how we might get the government to start wearing the glasses that they need to, so that they can see the real impact of their policies. Or perhaps we could begin with getting them to agree that they do, at the very least, need an eye test.
CURRENT GOVERNMENT POLICY DOES NOT BENEFIT THE CONSUMER
While government ministers sometimes mention the pleasure that gambling brings to many, it simply says those words, rather than enacting policies that might have the effect of maintaining that enjoyment or even looking to improve the customer experience of gambling. There are legitimate concerns that the current trajectory of government policy will increase the likelihood of customers going to the black market for gambling, where there is no regulation that can impact on the experience for consumers. Put simply, you cannot improve the experience of the gambling consumer if you don’t know where they are gambling, and if you have no control over the companies which they are accessing to have a bet. This is another area in which the short-sighted approach of the government is there for all of us to see.
THE PLEASURE OF GAMBLING
Like most people who gamble, I do so because I enjoy it. I can’t think of anyone who has ever questioned me about that and challenged the fact that it is a pleasure in life that I enjoy. However, I often get told that it might be ok for me, but also that not everyone is like me. While that is demonstrably true, it doesn’t really tell us very much. Yes, we are all different, but my enjoyment of gambling is the norm, rather than being in any way unique. It is worthwhile re-stating some evidence to prove that:
‘Gambling “for the chance to win big money” and “because it’s fun” remain the most popular reasons people gave for gambling in the past 12 months.’
These are findings from the latest research from the Gambling Commission, which it published last month. The same data shows that around half of the adult population continue to gamble on a regular basis, a fact that is sometimes forgotten by politicians, commentators, and the anti-gambling lobby who seemingly want to stop us from enjoying ourselves.
Gambling is a mass leisure activity which involves millions of us, and which most of us do for pleasure. You don’t need to put your glasses on to spot this in the research, but it does need to be repeated so the message gets across to more people. The visibility of this fact could be improved.
ADVOCATING FOR THE PLAYERS
Not much is written about the enjoyment of gambling, which tells us much about gambling research and those who write about it. Player advocacy is something that I will be writing more about this year. If that is something that you think you have some views on and want to be a part of, get in touch.
Without players, there is no need for a gambling industry. And without an industry, there will be nowhere for players to go. While some might use this symbiotic relationship as a reason to have a go at the gambling industry, there is no doubt that we need each other.
I’ve written previously on slots players and what they enjoy about it, and also about the enjoyment of playing poker. More recently I have looked at the pleasure that you can get from a day at the races. These are areas that are unlikely to get much focus from those currently researching gambling, so I’ll start 2026 as I mean to go on – advocating for the player.
PUT YOUR GLASSES ON
And, if we are lucky, the government will put its glasses on and see what is really going on with gambling – people enjoying themselves in a world that sometimes has little else to offer. Taking that enjoyment away is unlikely to bolster politicians in the ballot box as we approach some key elections this year in the UK. The government could do well to learn from this. Government ministers should put their glasses on, stop being short-sighted, and have a look at what gambling means for most of us. We enjoy it, so stop doing things which prevent that from happening.
Jon Bryan is a Gambling Writer and recreational Poker Player who writes regularly on his Substack, as well as for SlotsHawk, which you can find here: Jon’s articles for SlotsHawk.
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