.svg)
If Scotland votes for independence from the United Kingdom it would set new gambling policies, including raising the legal minimum age for gambling, according to a new Scottish government report.
Justice secretary Angela Constance told local media: “With the power to take our own decisions, we could also enhance and further embed our public health approach to justice issues, extending this to addiction such as drugs and gambling.”
This would enable future governments to consider new measures, including “raising the legal age of gambling”, according to Constance.
The justice secretary did not provide detail on what the legal gambling age would be raised to.
A spokesperson for the Scottish government confirmed to Vixio GamblingCompliance: “Post-independence we would have the necessary levers to review gambling regulation in which we could explore raising the legal age for gambling while also reshaping policy so to mitigate the mental health effects of the gambling industry, with an estimated 18,000 adults in Scotland classed as problem gamblers.”
The Scottish government’s “Building a New Scotland: Justice in an Independent Scotland” report, the 13th in the “Building a New Scotland” series, was published on April 25.
The report states “Scotland has, since mediaeval times, had its own legal and justice system. We have many strengths and successes to build on, which provide confidence that we can add the remaining elements we would need to deliver fair and effective justice in an independent Scotland.”
Gambling legislation is largely reserved for the Westminster government and not devolved to either of the regional parliaments in Wales or Scotland, although Northern Ireland has its own Gambling Act.
There is not a clear path for Scotland to gain independence at the moment.
An unsuccessful referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in 2014 and the Scottish government's proposal for a second referendum was rejected by the UK Supreme Court in 2022.
The pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) is currently in power, but faces a serious threat from Labour in this year’s UK general election.
Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader, Humza Yousaf, is also currently facing a major challenge to his leadership after just a year in the role, as he faces confidence votes after the collapse of the power-sharing deal with the Green Party.
