From days out at Ascot to pop concerts at Wembley, the gambling industry has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds in its efforts to win over MPs during a high-stakes battle over tough new reforms.

The reforms under consideration include limits on online stakes, affordability checks for punters, a ban on sports sponsorship and a mandatory levy to fund treatment for problem gamblers.

Originally due to report back in 2021, a government white paper setting out its conclusions has been repeatedly delayed amid turmoil in the Tory party. Since the review launched, there have been six gambling ministers and four culture secretaries.

Now expected after the Easter parliamentary recess, it will be the first update to gambling laws since 2005 and comes at a time