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A fair deal for British gambling operators - creating a more level playing field to compete with overseas rivals

066/09
30 April 2009

Overseas based gambling operators who advertise in the UK may face new requirements, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced today.

In response to rapid technological advances in online gambling, as well as the changing international regulatory landscape, the Government is to explore ways to make the system fairer to ensure a more level playing field between British businesses and their overseas counterparts.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, working with the Gambling Commission, will look at a number of issues, including securing fair contributions from overseas licensed operators towards the costs of regulation, the treatment of problem gambling and the Horserace Betting Levy. The Department will also look at the existing controls that apply to operators licensed overseas to ensure the rigorous consumer protections introduced by the Gambling Act continue to be upheld. 

Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said:

“Technology has evolved at an incredible pace and online gambling has changed significantly since the Gambling Act was passed.  Now is the right time to take stock of developments in Europe and elsewhere to make sure our regulatory system is as fair and robust as possible for all operators able to advertise their services in the UK. 

“It is early days so I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of this work - but getting a fairer deal for UK operators and ensuring continued consumer protection are my top priorities.”
 
The Department will consult a range of experts, including the remote gambling industry, and will report findings to Parliament before the end of 2009.

Notes to editors

  1. More information on the system by which jurisdictions outside of the European Economic Area can be considered for inclusion on the list of countries that may advertise their gambling operations in the UK, also known as the ‘whitelist,’ is available on the DCMS website.

  2. The Horserace Betting Levy is an annual fee that is collected from bookmakers and distributed to the Horserace Betting Levy Board to fulfil its three statutory purposes. These are the improvement of breeds of horses; advancement of veterinary science and veterinary education; and the improvement of horseracing.

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