The UK government is set to release a white paper on gambling reform and new gambling laws later this year. The review will consider the impact of online gambling and will look at ways to protect vulnerable people. That being said the Ministers want to make sure the laws on gambling are up to date and fit for the digital age.
This will be the most significant change since the The Gambling Act of 2005. It seems that a lot of things regarding online gambling and sports betting will affected including incentives and various promo deals for online casinos. The main reason is that there’s a growing concern regarding underage gambling in the UK. With that in mind, let’s have a look at the implications of this white paper that’s about to be released.
How the proposed changes could affect problem gambling rates in the UK
So far, the proposed changes that should be clearly defined in the white paper suggest that the UK government alongside UK Gambling Commission will impose maximum stakes of between £2 and £5, as well as a ban on free bets and VIP packages for those who incur heavy losses, and also “non-intrusive” affordability checks.
Operators will also have to remove online features which increase the level of risk for customers. According to the government representatives, online gambling is at the highest as its ever been in the UK with one in every four Britons making wagers online.
The pros and cons of the UK government’s proposed reforms
The pros of the upcoming gambling reforms indicate that online gambling and sports betting will be even more regulated than before with an emphases on preventing players from losing too much money and combating gambling addictions.
On the other hand, reported proposals to prohibit gambling companies from shirt sponsorship were set to be rejected in favor of reaching a voluntary agreement with Premier League clubs, while also keeping the option of legislation in reserve. In other words, sport sponsorships by gaming companies won’t be prohibited it seems.
When is the UK government planning to release the white paper on gambling reform?
The white paper was set to bee released in a few weeks after a number of delays but it seems that won’t happen. The fact of the matter is that the white paper will be delayed once again due to Boris Johnson resigning as a head of the Conservative party. The white paper, therefore, cannot be released officially until a new Prime Minister is elected later this September.
As it turns out, the major reforms to the UK gambling laws will have to be placed on hold until further notice or at least until a new Prime Minister is elected to give the white paper an official green light.
