Recently the UK Gambling Commission released figures that suggest that more UK residents are taking part in remote gambling. The report credits new technologies such as smart phones and mobile devices for the rise in remote gambling. The number of remote gamblers increased by 0.1% and the top games are internet bingo and the National Lottery. Between September 2010 and June 2011 11.8% of respondents said they engaged in some form of remote gaming during the month before the survey was taken. Half of those surveyed purchased lottery tickets. The survey also showed that 56.7% of those surveyed engaged in some form of gambling. In 2010 the figure was 55.5% and in 2009 the figure was 55.2%.
As technology evolves and broadband access increases online gambling is more accessible and available. While the figures make the online industry happy there are those expressing concerns about the widespread availability of online gambling. John Penrose, the Minister of Tourism and Heritage, is concerned about the rise in player numbers. Penrose said that the time has come for the government to put stricter regulations in place for online gambling corporations. Penrose also wants to tighten up licensing requirements and regulations in the UK. The UK gambling commission and Mr. Penrose are concerned that lottery games, internet bingo and side games at internet bingo sites are targeting ‘vulnerable’ gamblers.
Penrose has called for a drastic change in the licensing laws. Penrose want to require online gambling companies accepting wagers and providing games to UK residents to obtain a UK gambling license. The law would apply to offshore gambling sites and Penrose believes that strict licensing requirements will rein in rogue gambling sites that are acting unscrupulously and taking advantage of vulnerable punters. Penrose told reporters “The current system for regulating remote gambling doesn’t work. Overseas operators get an unfair advantage over UK based companies, and British consumers who gamble online may have little or no protection depending on where the operator they deal with happens to be based. So our new proposals are an important step to help address concerns about problem gambling and to plug a regulatory gap, ensuring a much more consistent and higher level of protection for those people in the UK who gamble online.”
Penrose said the new regulations will hold offshore gaming sites to the same standards that UK gaming sites must meet to operate in the UK. Penrose said “We will create a level playing field, so all overseas operators will be subject to the same standards and requirements as those based in Britain, as well as being required to inform the Gambling Commission about suspicious betting patterns to help fight illegal activity and corruption in betting.” Hopefully the UK will not create the same prohibitionist atmosphere created by draconian US style internet gambling laws.
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