SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association’s (GBGA) attempt to force the UK Gambling Commission and Government to review its upcoming Gambling Bill, will not receive support froma number UK bookmakers operating in the region.
Operators William Hill, Ladbrokes and bet365 publically stated that they will not challenge the UK Governments actions regarding igaming, although concerns remain over legislations and potential effects on the UK gambling market.
GBGA, which represents 20 top level igaming operators in the region, had issued the UK Gambling Commission a legal demand subjecting it to urgently review the UK Gambling Bill or face legal action.
The GBGA argued that the new point of consumption licensing, combined with planned tax changes, will drive consumers to the unregulated or poorly regulated market, and so ensure that a significant proportion of UK consumers will be unprotected when they play and bet with foreign operators.
However on Friday William Hill submitted a statement that it had chosen not to support the GBGA actions
“William Hill have chosen not to challenge the Government’s decision to impose dual regulation on the online gambling industry. Our original concerns regarding the distortive effects on the market and the inadequacy of enforcement mechanisms, remain,”
Ladbrokes and bet365 followed suite by issuing statements that they would not back the GBGA legal actions regarding the UK Gambling Bill.
Ladbrokes commented to igaming news source eGR . “Our concerns remain however over whether regulatory enforcement is strong enough and the risk that a relatively high tax rate that gives a competitive advantage to unregulated operators,
