'Outdated gambling laws need urgent change' - Lord Foster

Lord Foster is calling for urgent changes to be made to the UK's "out of date" gambling laws.

The former Bath MP will be one of the main speakers calling for reform in the House of Lords later.

The Liberal Democrat peer said smart phones had led to "absolutely massive" growth in gambling but the current regulations were written before they were invented.

He said: "There are a lot of changes urgently needed."

Speaking to BBC Points West, the chairman of Peers for Gambling Reform added: "It's worth remembering that the legislation that provides the regulation around gambling was introduced before the first smart phone was invented.

"So we've got a piece of legislation that simply is out of date.

"As many people have said, 'it's analogue legislation in a digital age'."

Lord Foster has been lobbying for tighter restrictions on the industry since 2004 and said he has spoken to many families who have lost loved ones to suicide through gambling.

According to the House of Lords, a third of a million people in the UK are problem gamblers, 55,000 of whom are children.

On average, a problem gambler commits suicide every day and about 2 million people are affected by the issue.

The gambling industry spends £1.5bn a year on advertising and football shirts and TV adverts are littered with promotions.

Campaigners want tighter restrictions on advertising with the addition of spending caps and affordability checks.

Lord Foster said: "The government have delayed and dithered bringing forward the much-needed reforms which is why we are having to really get these reforms as quickly as possible."

If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]