Written question asked by Lindsay Hoyle (Labour) on Tuesday, 29 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 1 December 2005. It was answered by Richard Caborn (Labour) on Monday, 5 December 2005 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Gaming Board

Question: (2) what plans she has to implement the recommendations of the Gaming Board to increase prizes and stakes.

Answer: While the triennial review of gaming machine stake and prize limits conducted by the Gaming Board (now replaced by the Gambling Commission) had become a matter of custom and practice, it had no statutory basis.The Government decided last year that it would be inappropriate to a schedule of the stakes and prize limits that would apply on increase stake and prize limits just as Parliament was about to debate the Gambling Bill, and before any of the regulatory safeguards proposed in the Bill, now the Gambling Act 2005, could be put in place. Instead implementation of the Act was published alongside the draft Bill.While I understand that many in the industry feel they are facing difficult trading conditions, I have seen no clear evidence that would lead the Government to reconsider this position.

Secondary information