On November 2006, the British government informed it engaged in a movement seeking international support for the legalization and regulation of online gambling. Britain's initiative to take the lead in legalizing and regulating online gambling, however, was motivated by a government desire to protect consumers, rather than to entice operators.
This search for international consensus also came at a time when the Untied Kingdom is about to implement its rules for the online gambling industry in this country. This article addresses the issue of online gambling in the United Kingdom (“UK”), its treatment and proposed legal framework to take force on September 2007.
The UK is the first developed country to offer online gaming licenses. It is estimated that about one million people in Britain gamble regularly online. There are more than 2,300 gambling sites around the world, of which 537 are in Antigua and 474 in Costa Rica. The UK hosts 70 sites, but none of these offer gaming such as poker, blackjack or roulette. Women denote a major part of the online gambling market, accounting for 30% of visits to UK sites during the World Cup hosted by that country.
Some analysts are of the opinion that legalizing and regulating online gambling companies could create financial benefits for the government by allowing it to tax companies that move back to Britain from offshore locations like Gibraltar and Costa Rica.
UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has outlined plans to welcome Internet gambling companies to the UK and to regulate the industry. She suggested that the Government's focus on regulation is geared towards public protection rather than generation of tax revenues.
The Gambling Act 2005 produced an extensive change in how gambling is licensed in Great Britain, bringing with it new responsibilities for licensing authorities.
Under the new British gambling laws, online operators have a "social responsibility" duty written into licenses and policed by the independent Gambling Commission watchdog. It requires online operators to work to prevent underage gambling, give prominent warnings about addiction and inform users how much time and money they have spent on the site.
This search for international consensus also came at a time when the Untied Kingdom is about to implement its rules for the online gambling industry in this country. This article addresses the issue of online gambling in the United Kingdom (“UK”), its treatment and proposed legal framework to take force on September 2007.
The UK is the first developed country to offer online gaming licenses. It is estimated that about one million people in Britain gamble regularly online. There are more than 2,300 gambling sites around the world, of which 537 are in Antigua and 474 in Costa Rica. The UK hosts 70 sites, but none of these offer gaming such as poker, blackjack or roulette. Women denote a major part of the online gambling market, accounting for 30% of visits to UK sites during the World Cup hosted by that country.
Some analysts are of the opinion that legalizing and regulating online gambling companies could create financial benefits for the government by allowing it to tax companies that move back to Britain from offshore locations like Gibraltar and Costa Rica.
UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has outlined plans to welcome Internet gambling companies to the UK and to regulate the industry. She suggested that the Government's focus on regulation is geared towards public protection rather than generation of tax revenues.
The Gambling Act 2005 produced an extensive change in how gambling is licensed in Great Britain, bringing with it new responsibilities for licensing authorities.
Under the new British gambling laws, online operators have a "social responsibility" duty written into licenses and policed by the independent Gambling Commission watchdog. It requires online operators to work to prevent underage gambling, give prominent warnings about addiction and inform users how much time and money they have spent on the site.
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