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The UK government has announced the surprise appointment of Baroness Fiona Twycross as the minister for gambling and Lords minister.

Twycross, a member of the House of Lords, was officially as the new gambling minister in a Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) update on July 26 detailing its ministers and portfolio details.

The Baroness is now the seventh person to be in charge of gambling policy since the Gambling Act review white paper was announced by the UK government in late 2020.

The DCMS update also confirmed that former shadow gambling minister Stephanie Peacock MP, who was previously incorrectly named by some outlets as the new gambling minister, is the new minister for sport, media, civil society and youth.

Unlike Peacock, who has contributed to gambling-related debates in parliament and recently spoke at the Betting and Gaming Council's (BGC) annual general meeting, Twycross’ opinion on gambling policy is somewhat unknown.

The Baroness has never discussed or voted on any gambling-related legislation during her time as a member of the House of Lords.

Twycross is a former member of the London Assembly and received a life peerage in 2022.

Michael Dugher, the chair of trade group the BGC, welcomed the DCMS announcement on social media, saying it is “great to see such a strong team” at the department.