The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has now confirmed that Tasmania will be added to the ‘Whitelist’ of countries or jurisdictions allowed to advertise remote gambling in the UK as if it were an EEA state.  This decision follows a reconsideration of Tasmania’s application after the introduction of amending legislation to their tax regime.  A full assessment of their application was made to ensure it met the Government’s ‘Whitelisting’ criteria published in January 2007.  

Regulations have been laid in Parliament and will come into effect in 21 days time on 31 January 2008.  After this date, gambling operators licensed in Tasmania will be able to advertise their remote gambling services in the United Kingdom.

After careful assessment of their representations against the published criteria, the Secretary of State has also decided not to ‘whitelist’ Kahnawá:ke (Canadian reservation) or Antigua. 

The States of Alderney and the Isle of Man are the only two other jurisdictions to have previously been added to the ‘whitelist.’  An announcement was made on this decision in August 2007.

The effect of these decisions is that only gambling operators licensed in EEA countries (including Gibraltar), Alderney, Isle of Man or Tasmania can lawfully advertise gambling in the UK.