CARE has hit out at delays to gambling reforms after the government said it wanted to hold more consultations on proposed restrictions.

The government's white paper, published on Thursday, proposes £2 limits on online slot machines for young gamblers.

The Christian campaign group expressed its disappointment at the decision to consult further rather than bring forward legislation, saying that more "dither and delay" would negatively affect the most vulnerable.

CARE is calling for urgent reform to put the needs of punters before gambling companies' profits. 

The charity's Director of Advocacy and Policy, Louise Davies, said that the continued delays to reform were "galling" and "senseless".

"The abuses of the gambling industry and the scale of gambling-related harms in Britain are crystal clear," she said.

"There is no need for further consultation on measures that are broadly supported such as a statutory levy and affordability checks.

"We need legislation. Ministers are delaying the legislative process that follows a white paper and leads to action." 

CARE is calling for a 5 per cent levy on the profits of gambling companies to fund help for problem gamblers.

The charity is also campainging for an end to gambling advertising and sponsorship in football and the introduction of "robust" affordability checks to stop problem gamblers racking up huge debts.

Ms Davies called for "truly bold action" to protect the most at-risk gamblers and "reign in the behemoth of big betting".

"It is not an overstatement to say that people's lives depend on reform," she said. 

Recent research carried out by Savanta on behalf of CARE has found that eight in 10 UK adults support a levy on gambling profits, while nine in 10 agree with affordibility checks and regulation of gambling adverts in football.

Ms Davies continued, "The government must consider whether it is content to go down in history as an administration that could have confronted abuses and protected vulnerable people but didn't because of the protestations of a greed-driven industry, or senseless procrastination. As it stands, this is the legacy ministers are building."