Vicky Foxcroft MP has been appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state for Museums, Heritage, Gambling and Lords, taking responsibility for gambling policy within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Foxcroft replaces Baroness Twycross, who took on the role in 2024.
The Lewisham North MP has served in Parliament since 2015 and acted as shadow minister overseeing DCMS in 2019. She has supported measures aimed at tightening gambling regulation.
In June 2025, Foxcroft backed an early day motion on “high street gambling reform” that criticised the statutory “aim to permit” principle and limited powers available to councils seeking to reject gambling premises in saturated areas. The motion also framed gambling as a “public health issue”.
Her appointment comes shortly after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to remove the “aim to permit” rule for councils as part of measures affecting betting shops and gambling venues.
Previous positions include advertising restrictions and statutory levy support
Foxcroft has also spoken publicly about what she described as an “epidemic of problem gambling”.
In 2018, she called for betting with credit cards to be banned and supported giving banks greater ability to block gambling transactions for customers experiencing gambling problems. She has also backed restrictions on gambling advertising during live sports events.
Foxcroft supported the statutory gambling levy introduced in November 2024. The levy requires licensed operators to contribute between 0.2% and 1.1% of annual gross gambling yield towards research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm.
The measure formed part of the Gambling Act review programme.
BGC welcomes appointment while calling for proportionate regulation
The Betting and Gaming Council welcomed Foxcroft’s appointment and highlighted her previous support for a “balanced, evidence-led approach to gambling regulation”. It stated a desire to work constructively with the minister on consumer protection and illegal gambling.
“We also look forward to working with the new minister to tackle the rapidly growing illegal gambling black market, which puts consumers at risk and contributes nothing to the economy or British sport,” said Grainne Hurst, CEO of BGC.
Hurst also called for policies that are “proportionate” and consider the combined impact of regulation and recent tax increases on jobs, investment and regulated market competitiveness.
The BGC thanked Baroness Twycross for “the thoughtful, open and constructive way she engaged with our industry throughout her time as minister responsible for gambling”. Twycross oversaw implementation of gambling white paper measures, including financial risk assessments.
Foxcroft’s previous statements suggest the industry can expect her appointment to bring stronger focus on harm prevention, high-street gambling and advertising. The interesting part will be if this reform agenda stays evidence-led and accounts for the present challenges facing licensed operators.
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