Meanwhile UK Minister waits to amend legislation to regulate offshore egambling

For many years now gambling regulations have been set by EU member states rather than at the EU level because of the diverse cultural approaches to gambling in countries in the EU. However, because of the advent of the internet and the increase in popularity of betting and gaming online, cross border disputes have arisen which have led to court cases at the European Court of Justice being decided base on EU free trade legislation.

The EU Commission has launched what is called a Green Paper, which amounts to evidence gathering and what we might call a Consultation process in order to seek clarity about how the EU can move forward on the very important issues of protecting the most vulnerable in our society. Currently, companies based outside the UK can operate within the UK if they are licensed in another EU state or in a white-listed jurisdiction designated by the Secretary of State. Other websites also operate in the UK but are operating what is effectively a black market gambling operation.

CARE very much welcomes the Green Paper as it offers us the opportunity to put forward the problems we see and suggest possible solutions moving forward. We are also eagerly anticipating the results of a British consultation from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Minster in charge of Gambling, John Penrose, is said to be considering a stricter licensing regime as well as looking at how to deal with the rise in people suffering from problem gambling in the UK. Indeed, as was shown by the recent UK gambling prevalence survey, currently around 450,000 problem gamblers suffer the debilitating effects of a gambling addiction.

To read more about the Launch of the EU Green Paper, please see the Financial Times article here, or go to the EU Commission webpage here.

If you would like to read more about the UK gambling prevalence survey you can go to the Gambling Commissions website here.

For a moving report about the imbalance of power between the gambling industry and those suffering addiction to gambling please read Paul Bicknell’s article in the Independent here.