Open consultation

Consultation questions

Published 15 October 2025

Consultation questions

Respondent type

1. Are you responding on behalf of an organisation or as an individual? (Individual / Organisation / Other [please specify])

If individual

2. What is your age? (0 to 17 / 18 to 24 / 25 to 44 / 45 to 64 / 75 to 84 / 85+ / Prefer not to say)

3. What part of Great Britain do you live in? (England/ Scotland / Wales / Outside of Great Britain (please specify) / Prefer not to say)

4. Which of the following best describes your interest in gambling policy (select up to two options)? (Gambling industry professional, gambling researcher/academic, gambling treatment provider, personally harmed by gambling, personally affected by another person’s gambling, recreational gambler, government/regulatory professional, other, prefer not to say)

5. Is any of the information you have provided confidential, commercially sensitive or otherwise unsuitable for publication (including in anonymised)? If so, please indicate what. (Free text box)

If organisation

6. What is the name of your organisation? (Free text box)

7. Is the organisation headquartered in Great Britain? (Yes / No / I don’t know)

8. Which of the following best represents your organisation’s sector? (Licenced bingo operator, Licenced AGC operator, Licenced FEC operator, Unlicensed FEC operator, Other gambling operator, Gambling-related sector (e.g. advertising, sport, or broadcasting), Government/regulator, Lived experience peer support charity, Academic/research, Treatment provision, Other (please specify), I don’t know)

9. How many employees does your organisation have globally? (1-9 / 10-19 / 20-49 / 50- 99 / 100 - 249 / 250 - 499 / 500+ / I don’t know)

10. Are you happy for the Government to attribute responses to your organisation in a published response to this consultation? (Yes / No)

11. Is any of the information you have provided confidential, commercially sensitive or otherwise unsuitable for publication (including in anonymised)? If so, please indicate what. (Free text box)

Category D gaming machines section

Crane grab machines

Blurb: The Government is proposing to maintain the maximum stake for crane grab machines at £1 and increase the maximum prize for crane grab machines from £50 to £75.

1. Should the stake limit on crane grab machines be maintained at £1? (Yes / No, the stake limit should be lower than £1 / No, the stake limit should be higher than £1 / I don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box) 

2. Should the prize limit on crane grab machines be increased from £50 to £75? (Yes / No, the prize limit should be lower than £75 / No, the prize limit should be higher than £75 / I don’t know) Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Non-money prize (other than crane grab machines)

Slot-style non-money machines

3. Should the existing non-money Category D (other than crane grab machine) category be subdivided to create a new category of non-money ‘slot-style’ machines? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

4. If this new category is created, should stakes and prizes for non-money slot-style machines be maintained at 30p and £8, respectively? (Yes / No, stakes and prizes should be set at a lower level / No, stakes and prizes should be set at a higher level / No, stakes and limits should change in another way / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

The definition the government is proposing for slot-style machines is based on the definition of a reel-based game, and is similar to the definition used for online slot games. A reel-based game in this context would refer to: games where moving or changing images or text are displayed by the use of reels, visual representations of reels or other means, and an individual may win a prize or other opportunity or advantage, as represented by the resulting arrangement of those images or text.

5. Should slot-style machines be defined as machines that are reel-based, according to the definition provided above? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

6. Does the definition proposed adequately capture all forms of physical ‘slot-style’ Category D machines, including older mechanical ones? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

7. Are there other types of non-money prize machines or gameplay mechanics, beyond those that might be defined as ‘reel-based’, that you believe the Government should not consider an increase in stakes and prizes for due to their visual appearance, gameplay, or psychological characteristics? (optional)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Non-slot style machines

8. Which approach do you think should be taken in relation to non-slot style, non-money machines stake and prize limits? ( (A) Remain at a maximum stake of 30p, and a maximum prize of £8, / (B) Increase to a maximum stake of 40p, and a maximum prize of £15, (C) / Increase to a maximum stake of 50p, and a maximum prize of £20 / (D) Change in another way / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box).

9. If you have any views on how the government’s proposal to increase stake and prize limits on non-money prize machines could support the FEC sector, providing any supporting evidence where available? (Free text box)

10. If you have any views on how the government’s proposal to increase stake and prize limits on non-money prize machines could have unintended adverse consequences, please provide them here, along with any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

11. If you have any views about the impact of an increase in stakes and prizes not considered above, please provide them here. We particularly welcome evidence on the estimated impacts of the options on gross gambling yield (GGY), investment and jobs, gambling-related harm, participation by children and young people, to support options assessment. (Free text box)

Coin pushers and penny falls

Blurb: Currently, there are two types of pusher-style machines: Pusher-style machines that pay out in on-money prizes. Maximum stake of 30p and maximum prize of £8 (non-money). These machines are currently categorised as non-money prize machines.
Coin pusher machines that pay out in money and non-money prizes. Maximum stake of 20p and maximum prize of £20 (of which no more than £10 can be a money prize)

12. Should a new category of machine, ‘pushers’, be created which combines pusher-style machines that pay out in non-money prizes with combined money and non-money prize coin pushers? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

13. Are there technical and cost implications associated with introducing a unified ‘pusher’ category? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

14. Should the stake limit for unified ‘pushers’ be set at 30p, in line with the current stake limit for pusher machines that pay out in tickets? (Yes / No, the stake limit should be lower / No, the stake limit should be higherer / No, the stake limit should change in another way / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence on impact where available. (Free text box)

15. Should the maximum prize for unified ‘pushers’ be set at a £20 maximum prize (of which no more than £12 can be a money prize)? (Yes / No, the prize limit should be lower / No, the prize limit should be higher / No, the prize limit should change in another way / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence on impact where available. (Free text box)

16. If you have any views on how the government’s proposal to increase stake and prize limits on pusher machines could support the FEC sector, please provide them here, along with any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

17. If you have any views on how the government’s proposal to increase stake and prize limits on pusher machines could have unintended adverse consequences, please provide them here, along with any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Combined money and non-money prize machines (other than coin pusher or penny falls machines)

18. Should any changes be made to stake and prize limits for combined money and non-money prize machines? (Yes, stake and prize limits for combined money and non-money prize machines should be lower / Yes, stake and prize limits for combined money and non-money prize machines should be higher / Yes, stake and prize limits for combined money and non-money prize machines should be changed in another way  / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

General - stakes and prizes

19. What is the estimated impact of the package of proposals on Gross Gambling Yield in the family entertainment centre (FEC) sector? (Significant increase/ Slight increase/ No change/ Slight decrease/ Slight decrease/ Significant decrease, Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing an estimated GGY impact in £ where possible. (Free text box)

20. What is the estimated impact of the package of proposals on investment in the FEC sector? (Significant increase/ Slight increase/ No change/ Slight decrease/ Slight decrease/ Significant decrease, Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

21. What is the estimated impact of the package of proposals on jobs in the FEC sector? (Significant increase/ slight increase/ no change/ slight decrease/ slight decrease/ Significant decrease, Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

22. What is the estimated impact on gambling-related harm in the FEC sector? (Significant increase/ slight increase/ no change/ slight decrease/ slight decrease/ Significant decrease, Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box).

23. What is the estimated impact on participation by children and young people in the FEC sector? (Significant increase/ Slight increase/ No change/ Slight decrease/ Significant decrease, Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

24. Are there any other impacts of the proposed changes to Category D gaming machines not covered by the questions above? (Free text box)

Introduction of an age limit on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines (all optional)

25. Does anything in this consultation affect your view on the Government’s previously announced proposal to make it an offence for a person to invite, cause or permit a child or young person to use ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style gaming machines? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

26. Are there any other factors, outside of the content of this consultation, that affect your view on the Government’s proposal to make it an offence for a person to invite, cause or permit a child or young person to use ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style gaming machines?  (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

27. Does anything in this consultation, or any other factor, affect your view on the proposal not to require ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines be moved to age-restricted areas in venues?  (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

28. Do you have any views on the measures venues should adopt to ensure that no under-18s play on cash-out Category D slot-style machines if the age limit is introduced? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Questions for FEC operators

29. Please provide data on the number of Category D machines in your premises, broken down by sub-category. (Table by sub-category)
a. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload)

30. Please provide the latest data on Gross Gaming Yield (GGY) for Category D machines in your premises in the 2024/25 financial year, including any breakdowns by machine sub-category. If possible, please provide historical data, indicating trends over the past three years or more. (Table by subcategory)
a. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload)

31. Please provide any available data on current stakes and prizes in operation on Category D machines in your premises, by subcategory or type of machine. (Table by subcategory)
a. Please provide any supporting evidence, where available. (Free text box) b. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload)

32. Please provide any available data or other information you collect related to player behaviour (such as average net expenditure and session length) on Category D machines in your premises, by subcategory or type of machine. (Table by subcategory)
a. Please provide any supporting evidence, where available. (Free text box) b. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload) 

33. Please provide any available data or other information you collect related to the effectiveness of responsible gambling measures on Category D machines in your premises, by subcategory or type of machine. (Table by subcategory)
a. Please provide any supporting evidence, where available. (Free text box) b. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload) 

34. Please provide any available data or other information you collect related to the proportion of players using ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines that are under 18 on Category D machines in your premises.
a. Please provide any supporting evidence, where available. (Free text box) b. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload)

Bingo licensing section

The Bingo Area

1. Should there be an area in licensed bingo premises dedicated to facilities for bingo? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Minimum floor space for the bingo area

There are four options being considered for the percentage of the total premises floor space that should be dedicated to the bingo area: 

A. No minimum percentage of floor space dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ B. 30% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ C. 40% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ D. 50% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’

2. Please rank these four options in order of preference, where 1 is the most preferable. Select each option to move its position in the ranking.
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Gaming machines in the bingo area

3. Do you agree with the Government’s proposal that cabinet and in-fill gaming machines should not be permitted within the bingo area? (Yes / No / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence. We particularly welcome evidence on factors such as gross gambling yield, operational factors, consumer experience, risk profiles, and impacts on gambling-related harm, where available. (Free text box)

4. Do you agree with the Government’s proposal that all tablet gaming machines permitted in the bingo area should offer bingo? (Yes / No, tablet gaming machines permitted in the bingo area should not have to offer bingo  / No, only some tablet gaming machines permitted in the bingo area should offer bingo / No, no tablet gaming machines should be permitted in the bingo area / No (for another reason) / I don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence. (Free text box)

5. Do you agree with the Government’s preferred approach that there should be a minimum distance between the bingo area and any cabinet or in-fill gaming machines in a bingo premises?  (Yes, there should be a minimum distance / No, there should not be a minimum distance / I don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence. (Free text box)

6. Which of the proposed minimum distances between the bingo area and any cabinet or in-fill gaming machines would be most appropriate? (A: 0.5m / B: 1.0m / C 2.0m / D: An alternative distance would be more appropriate (please provide a distance) )
a. Please explain your answer, providing any supporting evidence. (Free text box)

Gaming machine content on EBT’s 

• Option A) In licensed bingo venues, all gaming machine content currently permitted (Category B3, B4, C and D content) in bingo venues should be permitted in the bingo area on tablets that offer electronic bingo 
• Option B) In licensed bingo venues, only Category C and D gaming machine content should be permitted in the bingo area on tablets that offer electronic bingo 
• Option C) In licensed bingo venues, no tablet gaming machines should be permitted in the bingo area

The Gambling Commission provides an overview of gaming machine categories.

7. The Government’s preferred option is to permit all currently permitted categories of gaming machine content on tablets that offer electronic bingo in the bingo area (Option A). Do you agree with this preferred option?  (Yes, I agree with Option A / No, I prefer Option B / No, I prefer Option C / No (another reason) / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence. We particularly welcome evidence on factors such as gross gambling yield, operational factors, consumer experience, risk profiles, and impacts on gambling-related harm, where available. (Free text box)

Positions in the bingo area

There are four options in relation to positions in the bingo area. 

A. No minimum positions
B. Minimum of 30 positions in the bingo area
C. Minimum of 40 positions in the bingo area
D. At least one distinct position for every 2.5 square meters of floor space in the bingo area up to 200 square metres. Where the bingo area is over 200 square metres in size, a minimum of 80 positions only. There should be a minimum of 30 positions for bingo in the bingo area, no matter how small the venue.

8. Do you agree with the government’s proposal that there should be a requirement for a minimum number of positions in the bingo area? (Yes / No / I Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. We particularly welcome supporting evidence on factors such as gross gambling yield, operational factors, consumer experience, risk profiles, and impacts on gambling-related harm, where available.  (Free text box)

9. Please rank the proposed options in order of preference (A, B, C, D), where 1 is the most preferable. Select each option to move its position in the ranking. (A: No minimum positions in the bingo area / B: Minimum of 30 positions in the bingo area / C: Minimum of 40 positions in the bingo area / D: At least one distinct position for every 2.5 square metres of floor space in the bingo area up to 200 square metres in size, a minimum of 80 positions only. There should be a minimum of 30 positions for bingo in the bingo area, no matter how small the venue.
a. Please explain your ranking in the question above, providing supporting evidence where available.(Free text box)

10. In the government’s view, a position is a space for a customer to play bingo while seated, which is recognisable as such, providing a surface for paper or electronic play of bingo. A distinct position would be a seat or wheelchair space where a single customer can play bingo unimpeded while seated. For example, a single table with four seats would count as four positions. We would not consider a seat primarily intended for use at a non-EBT gaming machine to be counted as a position for bingo.

Do you agree with this definition? (Yes / No / Don’t know )

11. What other considerations would be important to note, when defining a position for bingo? (Free text box)

Other features of the bingo area

12. Beyond proposals relating to percentage of floor space, the types of gaming machine permitted in the bingo area, and a minimum number of positions, are there any other conditions that should be applied to the bingo area? (Yes / No / Don’t know ) 
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Transitional arrangements

13. Please provide any views on the possible challenges, or practical considerations, do you anticipate during an implementation period for new requirements for bingo premises? Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

14. How long, in months, would an appropriate implementation period need to be for the following groups: Existing licensed bingo premises and New Bingo premises (applying for a license in future)? (Free text box)
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

15. Please provide an estimated one-off cost to licensing authorities to implement the proposed changes to the bingo licensing regime. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where possible. (Free text box)

16. Please provide any other views on the administrative burden associated with these proposals for licensing authorities. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available.  (Free text box)

17. Please provide views on the enforceability of these proposals. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

General

18. Do you anticipate the proposed changes to bingo licensing having particular impacts on gambling-related harm? (Yes, they will increase gambling-related harm / Yes, they will decrease gambling-related harm / Yes, they will have a mixed impact on gambling-related harm / No / I don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

19. Are there any other impacts of the proposed changes to bingo licensing not covered by the questions above? (Yes / No / I don’t know)
a. Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box)

Questions for bingo operators 

20. How many licensed bingo premises do you operate? (Free text box)

Minimum floor space for the bingo area

21. Please provide information or evidence (e.g. floor plans) related to the venues you operate to show the proportion of floor space dedicated to: 

• Areas occupied by facilities for bingo 
• Areas occupied by gaming machines 
• Areas occupied by other facilities 

(Free text box)

a. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable (File upload) 

22. How many of your bingo premises would you need to adapt to meet the requirements in this consultation under each of four options being considered for the percentage of the total premises floor space that should be dedicated to the bingo area (A, B, C, D), if you did not convert any premises to adult gaming centres? Please state ‘none’ where you would not need to adapt any premises (Free text box) 

23. Do you expect that you would convert any premises to adult gaming centre licences under these options? (Yes / No / Don’t know)

24. How many premises do you expect that you would convert any premises to adult gaming centre licences under these options (A, B, C, D)? Please state ‘None’ where you do not expect to convert any premises. (Free text box)

25. What would be the main reasons for converting premises to adult gaming centre licences? (Free text box) 

26.  If you were to adapt all premises to meet the requirements related to the bingo area under Option B (30% of floor space dedicated to the ‘bingo area’), what impact would this have on the below outcomes? GGY from bingo games, GGY from gaming machines, Number of gaming machines, Annual operating costs  (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know) 

27. If you were to adapt all premises to meet the requirements related to the bingo area under Option C (40% of floor space dedicated to the ‘bingo area’), what impact would this have on the below outcomes? GGY from bingo games, GGY from gaming machines, Number of gaming machines, Annual operating costs  (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know)

28. If you were to adapt all premises to meet the requirements related to the bingo area under Option D (50% of floor space dedicated to the ‘bingo area’), what impact would this have on the below outcomes? GGY from bingo games, GGY from gaming machines, Number of gaming machines, Annual operating costs  (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answers (Q50, Q51, Q52), providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box) 

29. If, under the requirements of Option B, you were to convert all premises with less than 30% of floor space dedicated to bingo to adult gaming centres what impact would this have on the below outcomes? Overall GGY, Number of gaming machines, annual operating costs (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know)

30. If, under the requirements of Option C, you were to convert all premises with less than 40% of the floor space dedicated to bingo to adult gaming centres what impact would this have on the below outcomes? Overall GGY, Number of gaming machines, annual operating costs (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know)

31. If, under the requirements of Option D, you were to convert all premises with less than 50% of floor space dedicated to adult gaming centres what impact would this have on the below outcomes? Overall GGY, Number of gaming machines, annual operating costs (Significant increase / Slight increase / No change / Slight Decrease / Significant Decrease / Don’t know)
a. Please explain your answers, (Q53, Q54, Q55) providing supporting evidence where available. (Free text box) 

32. Please provide a monetary estimate of the approximate one-off cost required to adapt a premises you operate to meet the bingo area requirements under each of these options (B, C, D). 

B) 30% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ (free text box)  C) 40% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ (free text box)  D) 50% dedicated to the ‘bingo area’ (free text box)

a. Please provide supporting evidence where possible. (Free text box)  b. Please upload any additional evidence, where applicable. (File upload)

33. If you operate at least one licensed bingo premises where floor space dedicated to an area for bingo is less than 50% of venue floor space, please provide an approximate breakdown of the key revenue streams for the premises (for example, bingo, gaming machine, food and beverage, alcohol sales). (Free text box)
a. Please upload any additional evidence where applicable. (File upload)

Gaming machines in the bingo area 

34. If available, please provide a breakdown of the number of machines and gross gambling yield from gaming machines in your bingo premises, split by device (i.e. tablet vs in-fill/cabinet machines) and category of machine. (Free text box) 

Positions in the bingo area 

35. How would a requirement for a minimum number of bingo positions impact your premises? Please explain your answer, providing supporting evidence on factors such as gross gambling yield, operational factors, consumer experience, risk profiles, and impacts on gambling-related harm, where available. (Free text box)
  a. Please upload any supporting evidence where applicable (File upload)

Final supporting evidence

36. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will have due regard to the public sector equality duty, including considering the impact of these proposals on those who share protected characteristics, as provided by the Equality Act 2010. These are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Please indicate if you believe any of the proposals in this consultation are likely to impact persons who share such protected characteristics and, if so, please explain which group(s) of persons, what the impact on any such group might be and if you have any views. (Free text box) 

37. Please upload any further supporting evidence or any other information that should be considered as part of this consultation relating to the proposed changes and their possible impacts. (File upload)

38. Is any of the information you have provided confidential, commercially sensitive or otherwise unsuitable for publication (including in anonymised)? If so, please indicate what. (Free text box)

How to respond

Please respond to this consultation by completing the online response form below:

If you cannot access the link, please send responses to gamblingactreview@dcms.gov.uk in a document format like PDF or Microsoft Word.

By submitting your responses via email you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the privacy notice.

We welcome evidence from all parties with an interest in the way that gambling is regulated in Great Britain. We also welcome international evidence.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 9 January 2026.

Privacy notice

Who is collecting my data?

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). DCMS is consulting on Category D gaming machines and licensing for bingo premises. For the purposes of personal data collected in the course of this consultation, DCMS is the data controller.

Purposes of this Privacy Notice

This notice is provided to meet the obligations as set out in Articles 13 and 14 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (“the DPA”). This notice sets out how DCMS will use your personal data as part of our legal obligations with regard to Data Protection.

What personal data do we collect?

The personal information we collect and process is the data provided to us directly by you in the responses to this consultation. As an individual, this includes: your gender, age bracket and region of residence. As an organisation, this includes: your organisation name and size. All questions requesting an individuals personal information offer a ‘prefer not to say’ option.

How will we use your data?

We will use your data to enable us to carry out our functions as a government department. Your data will be used to inform the development of policy measures relating to Category D gaming machines and licensing for bingo premises 

What is the legal basis for processing my data?

To process this personal data, our legal reason for collecting or processing this data is:

• Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR: to the extent it is necessary to perform a public task (to carry out a public function or exercise powers set out in law, or to perform a specific task in the public interest that is set out in law). In this case, the processing of your personal data is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest, as the information gathered helps inform future policies; and
• Section 8(d) of the DPA: to the extent it is necessary for the effective performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

What will happen if I do not provide this data?

You have the option to select ‘Prefer not to say’ in response to any of the questions that ask for your personal data.

Who will your data be shared with?

DCMS has commissioned a third party, Qualtrics, to collect your personal data on its behalf. This means we have asked Qualtrics to collect your information via an online survey platform, which we will review as part of the consultation process.

Information provided in response to this consultation (not including personal information) may be shared with other government departments and arm’s length bodies, such as the Department for Health and Social Care and the Gambling Commission. The information provided may be published at an aggregated or anonymised level in the government’s consultation response, or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes (primarily under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004) subject to any applicable exemptions.

Please indicate if any information you provide is commercially or otherwise sensitive.

How long will my data be held for?

Your personal data will be kept for one year in line with DCMS retention policy.

Will my data be used for automated decision making or profiling?

We will not use your data for any automated decision making.

Will my data be transferred outside the UK and if it is how will it be protected?

Your data will not be transferred outside the UK.

What are my data protection rights?

You have rights over your personal data under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The Information Commissioner’s Office is the supervisory authority for data protection legislation, and maintains a full explanation of these rights on their website DCMS will ensure that we uphold your rights when processing your personal data.

How do I complain?

The contact details for the data controller’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) are:

Data Protection Officer
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport
100 Parliament Street
London
SW1A 2BQ

Email: dpo@dcms.gov.uk

If you’re unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data and want to make a complaint, please write to the department’s Data Protection Officer using the details above.

How to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office:

If you believe that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. You may also contact them to seek independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Website: www.ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

Changes to our privacy notice

We may make changes to this privacy policy. In that case, the ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. Any changes to this privacy policy will apply to you and your data immediately. If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, DCMS will take reasonable steps to let you know.

Last updated: 08 October 2025