Another week and there is another new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). One of their duties is overseeing the reform of the 2005 Gambling Act. The latest person to hold the office is Michelle Donelan, who at one time worked for World Wrestling Entertainment.
The appointment was made on Tuesday September 6 as new Prime Minister Liz Truss made changes aplenty to the cabinet and other ministerial jobs. As Truss took over what looks like a poisoned chalice, there was plenty of talk about energy prices, Ukraine, the NHS and leveling up. However, comments on the proposed gambling law reforms didn’t get a mention.
July saw the White Paper that details how the 2005 Gambling Act should be changed sent to Downing Street for a final review. However, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson was too busy reading resignation letters and eventually writing his own.
Just when will the White Paper on gambling reform be published? The new Prime Minister has plenty on her plate and sorting out the gambling laws may well be low down on the list. When she does get around to reading it, will the Prime Minister agree with its contents or will it be a case of going back to the drawing board.
Just who is Michelle Donelan? The 38-year-old is the MP for Chippenham with a healthy majority of 11,288. Before becoming an MP, she worked for World Wrestling Entertainment. No in-ring wrestling though but as an international marketing communications manager.
2020 saw her become the Minister of State for Universities and the job was later given the new title Minister of State for Higher and Further Education. The revamp of her job saw her able to attend cabinet meetings.
July of this year saw her become the new Secretary of State for Education. However, two days later she resigned as the bid to oust Boris Johnson reached fever pitch. This put her in the record books as the shortest serving member of the cabinet. Donelan still received severance pay but donated it to charity. Donelan takes over from Nadine Dorries who resigned this week.
Michael Dugher (chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council) has given his congratulations to the new Secretary of State. He added that their working relationship with the DCMS will continue. This will allow them to “continue to drive big changes and higher standards on safer gambling to better protect the most vulnerable.”
