Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association to Contest New UK Gambling Laws
The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) that represents many Gibraltar based UK Operators which include Victor Chandler and 32 Red is seeking legal action against the UK government over new gambling laws that the government intends introducing.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Sajid Javid, was sent a letter by the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association advising that the group intended challenging the UK government’s decision to introduce new licensing and tax rules in a court of law as it feels that the UK’s pending gambling laws will be unlawful”. The letter also states that the GBGA insists that should the UK government require all operators to apply for a license from the UK Gambling Commission it will be breaching European law and that it could possibly expose punters to “unscrupulous” operators.
Peter Howitt, the Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association said that it is likely that this new legislation will drive UK consumers towards unregulated or poorly regulated operators, leaving them exposed to un-necessary risks.
The government of Gibraltar is encouraging the challenge as it is afraid that the new rules may encourage UK bookies to relocate back to Britain.
Although William Hill is a member of the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association it has, nevertheless, joined Ladbrokes in not backing the challenge and said that as the UK’s leading operator, it has decided against challenging the Government’s decision to impose dual regulation on the online gambling industry.
William Hill is, however, still concerned that the distortive effects on the market and the inadequacy of enforcement mechanisms remain and that the government should strike the correct balance between overlapping regulation and enforcement.
