UK PM Boris Johnson resignation expected within hours, questions remain on Gambling White Paper

Major questions remain about the status and timing for the release of the UK’s Gambling White Paper, which was expected imminently, after major British media outlets report that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to resign within hours.

There has been no official confirmation yet, but a No.10 Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that PM will be making a statement to the country today.

His expected resignation comes in the wake of several high profile Government resignations, including the resignation of the minister responsible for the Gambling Act Review, Chris Philip. From a resignation letter handed over by Mr Philip to the now-outgoing PM, it was revealed that the review is currently sitting on Mr Johnson’s desk, awaiting “final approval”.

iGamingBusiness.com reports on a legal expert, Northridge Law partner Melanie Ellis, who says that a potential change at the UK Office of the Prime Minister could lead to delays in the publication of the white paper, but was unlikely to lead to major amendments to its contents when released.

Commenting on the possible delays, John White, CEO of the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (Bacta) warned that further delays to releasing the White Paper caused by Government change would leave the amusement industry and its 20,000 employees “in limbo”.

The past 24 hours have been particularly dramatic in the UK political landscape, a comment not made lightly considering years of drama surrounding Brexit negotiations and COVID.