30 January 2007

DCMS

http://www.culture.gov.uk/

Ban on Gambling Ads

Gambling Ad ban plans published

Plans to protect online gamblers from crime and exploitation by banning gambling adverts from poorly regulated countries have been published today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The move means major online gambling jurisdictions outside Europe will have to apply to the UK if companies based there want to advertise gambling services in the UK.

To get on the "white list", jurisdictions outside the EEA and Gibraltar will have to demonstrate that their licensing regimes:

* act to protect children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited;
* keep out crime;
* ensure that gambling is conducted fairly;
* have measures in place enforce compliance; and
* that gambling operators are subject to rules on money-laundering and financial probity.

The new rules will come into force on 1 September 2007.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said:

"Whether we like it or not, people choose to gamble online. The action we are taking on adverts will help protect online gamblers from crime and exploitation. It will stop companies operating from poorly regulated countries attracting new customers in the UK.

"This is a key part of the Gambling Act, which is designed to strictly regulate gambling and to protect children and vulnerable people. Safe regulation, not prohibition, is the best way to ensure any potential harm is minimized.

"This is a global issue, which is why we have led an international debate on this. Securing international cooperation will lead to sites operating more responsibly and increase protection."

The 'white listing' proposals come as the Government announced it secured international agreement to crack down on rogue online gambling operators.

The agreement, reached following a summit attended by 31 countries in Ascot last October, will see international cooperation on protecting children and vulnerable people, keeping out crime and making sure games are fair.

An international working group will also investigate how Governments can cooperate more closely with the financial sector, share research, develop more effective licensing regimes and promote public awareness of responsible gambling.

Notes to editors:

1. The Gambling Act 2005 bans countries, territories or jurisdictions outside the EEA and Gibraltar, from advertising foreign gambling in the UK, unless they can demonstrate that they have a satisfactory regulatory regime in place.

2. Guidance setting out the criteria, which the Secretary of State will employ when considering whether to permit gambling operators based in a country, territory or jurisdiction outside the EEA is available from http://www.culture.gov.uk

3. The International Remote Gambling Summit, hosted by the Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell and Sports Minister Richard Caborn, took place on 31 October at Ascot.

4. During the Summit, significant progress was made towards putting in place a road map to better regulated remote gambling across the world. There was wide-spread agreement amongst the attendees to co-operate further in a number of key areas to ensure that gambling remains fair, crime free and vulnerable people are protected.

5. This is reflected in the communique which sets out the countries shared priorities in the regulation of remote gambling:
* That remote gambling should be conducted responsibly and with safeguards necessary to protect children and vulnerable people;

* That remote gambling should be regulated in accordance with generally accepted international standards to prevent fraud, money laundering and other crime, and should not be permitted to be a source of crime;

* That, where offered, remote gambling should be verifiably fair to the consumer.

http://www.culture.gov.uk

2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
http://www.culture.gov.uk

Jobs Now LEGAL DIRECTOR Sought for challenging in-house position with Myspace, the online space which has revolutionized the way people interact, as sole attorney in their London office More >> HEALTHCARE LAWYER With at least 5 years PQE sought by Capsticks, a leading healthcare practice, to drive forward the development of their Birmigham based office More >> PI PARALEGAL Required by Plexus Law, a specialist PI firm, to provide in-house support to the Motor Claims Department in their Folkstone offices More >> NETWORK ENGINEER Sought by Personnel 2000 for their client, an international banking insurance provider, based in the Cayman Islands More >> LEGAL SECRETARY Required by Law Choice for their client, a prestigious US law firm, to work for 2 partners in their Dubai offices More >>

Contact

http://www.culture.gov.uk/

More Commentaries From
DCMS

Licensing Guidance
17 January 2007

Licensing Act One Year On
24 November 2006

Extent of Online Gambling
04 November 2006

More Commentaries from
DCMS

Author/Firm Profile
DCMS