UK Gambling Giant To Take On the French
Posted: 08/04/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License, UK Investment | Tags: offshore gambling, online gambling, remote gambling regulations, remote gambling. gambling Leave a comment »Having so much involvement, as I do with clients with gambling business interests and offshore gambling licenses I am always interested in what is going on in the world of UK gambling. This week saw a very interesting story, I saw it in the Times but I am sure it was discussed elsewhere about the plans of UK gambling company Ladbrokes and their plans to crack the French market.
Apparently the recent relaxing of restrictions on how much money gambling companies can take in France has convinced Ladbrokes that is now a market well worth exploring. They have teamed up with the leading French pay-tv company in an effort to lure gamblers onto Ladbrokes internet betting and gaming website and also through the French television channels.
Up until now the French gambling sector was tightly controlled by regulations that meant the the government run PMU pool betting company were the only viable option in France. The new rules governing internet gambling announced approved this week are set to change all that. A spokesperson for Ladbrokes had this to say this week
“We currently have no presence in France, it is a very competitive market but it is also a very big market. It will still be highly regulated but it is hoped that it will be further deregulated over time.
All the best to them though you have got to think that they will not be the only company trying to exploit the changes, companies from other countries are likely to have a crack too.
If you are interested in getting involved in a thriving UK gambling market or in obtaining a remote license then we can help you out here at St Matthew’s eAccounting.
Offshore Bingo Companies Whacked With New License
Posted: 03/02/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License | Tags: bingo online, gambling, online gambling Leave a comment »
We have been hearing for a awhile now about the alleged changes to the UK remote gambling laws and finally we have some confirmation.
There has apparently been a leak in from the Department of Culture, media and Sports that has forced the hand of sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe. Mr Sutcliffe has now announced that any off shore gambling business that have a customer base in the UK will need to hold a license and will then be subject to regulation from the UK Gambling Commission.
Before this all takes place though there will be a consolation period with UK land based businesses. This is a good thing because no one knows better than those in the industry what a suspicious betting pattern or problematic gambler looks like. the emphasize is to be on protecting children and vulnerable people. This is a worthy goal and we all applaud it.
There will also be a chance for online Bingo companies to demonstrate how they are responsible for contributing to research and education about the pitfalls of gambling in the UK.
As we have discussed on this blog before the government express a preference for UK bingo companies to operate in the UK but their 15% tax is very discouraging of this.
This new set of laws looks set to take a new tact with advertising to British punters being the target. the government is without doubt aware that advertising is the life blood of gambling organizations and hopes to make things more difficult for those located completely offshore. The idea being to give those actually on British soil an advantage.
I have expressed my skepticism about this plan before but I am perfectly willing to be proven wrong. Watch this space as things become clearer over the next weeks and months.
Things To Know About Remote Gambling In the UK
Posted: 02/02/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License | Tags: online gambling, remote gambling. gambling Leave a comment »Of course, there are quite strict laws in the UK covering all aspects of holding a gambling license but in my opinion it is particularly easy to fall foul of the ones that relate specifically to remote gambling. Especially if you happen to have been involved in static gambling, the differences can trip you up.
The first thing to be aware of is that if you have any piece of gambling equipment that can be used remotely located in the UK, then you are governed by its remote gambling laws. it does not matter if this piece of equipment is used to actually place a bet or only for demonstrating the result, you best get yourself a UK remote gambling license.
Next thing is that if you are running an operation that has remote equipment in the UK but visitors never use the premises then you need not have anything but a remote gambling license. The other type is not required unless you are going to physically have patrons at your premises.
The last thing you now need to be careful of is the portion of the law governing the prohibited territories. It against the law to provide facilities to to persons residing in these places. Which places these are is decided by the UK government and you should check the list carefully.
There is no doubt that remote gambling is big business around the world now. As with most new things it takes a while to get the laws pertaining to it correct. Most agree that in terms of the regulations such as the ones outlined above the UK government have done quite a nice job of putting things together. It is when we start talking about taxation that things get a little sticky.
UK Remote Gambling Laws Overview Part 1
Posted: 01/02/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License | Tags: gambling laws, internet gambling, online gambling, remote gambling Leave a comment »After my last blog on the proposed changes to UK gambling regulations I thought it might be an idea to look at the way remote gambling is handled in the UK. The UK is widely acknowledged to be one of the most progressive countries with regard to regulating remote gambling. Rather than apply the attitude of many other countries with prohibitive laws they have strived to give the people what they want. It has not always worked out but the thought is there.
The UK gambling laws were changed radically in response to a directive from the EU for standardization. Many also believe that a motivating factor was a political response to the prohibition of online gambling in the USA.
In 2003 The UK took a long hard look at the changes modern gambling had undergone and decided to rid themselves of old and tired laws that were no longer of much practical use. Mainly they needed to deal with the invention of online gambling, something that has taken the gambling world by storm.
The new laws covered a concept called remote gambling which deals with not just the internet but also things such as mobile telephones, landlines, TV and radio, anything in fact that you could use to place a bet that was not attached to the actual gambling premises.
Once they had their definition they were able to go ahead and develop laws designed to regulate the remote gambling industry and its practices. For a start remote gambling operations are required to hold a different type of license to their bricks and mortar counterpart. If a company does both then it must hold two separate licenses.
If you are going to get into the area of remote gambling in the UK there are a few specific differences you should be aware of. I will take you through them in the next blog.
Stay At Home Mums Love A Bit Of Online Bingo
Posted: 21/01/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License | Tags: bingo online, gambling, online gambling Leave a comment »
Are mothers spending too much time playing Bingo?
Bingo has always been a favorite among mothers. At one time it was a chance to get out of the house and spend some time with their friends while adding the excitement of a possible cash windfall.
These days it seems that UK mums are every bit as excited about Bingo but the way they get their fix has altered radically. A recent survey showed that mums spend and aver of two and quarter hours online a day. The Sun newspaper in its typically understated way was rapid to point out that this means that 79 percent of those women spent more time online than they did cooking or cleaning.
A significant portion of that online time is dedicated to online gambling with Bingo being particularly popular. Other pursuits of online mothers include social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as completing shopping tasks without leaving home. Web experts have defended the online antics of our nations mothers chiming in with the opinion that mothers often use the net to benefit their families.
Siobhan Freegard, founder of parenting website netmums.com said: “With families being more isolated than ever before, the internet is often the first port of call for mums seeking support, advice or information. It also provides a quick and easy means for mums to keep in touch with each other and the wider world.
This was in contrast to the underlying editorial message that seemed to be suggesting that English mothers were neglecting their children in favor of the net and really ought to be spending more time in the kitchen.
I think most people would agree that a bit of online bingo in moderation is not a bad thing for mothers. It is clearly something that gives them a break from what must sometimes be a slightly isolating job of raising the nation’s children and baking cakes.
Online Gambling To Get Regulation Overhaul
Posted: 20/01/2010 Filed under: Remote Gambling License | Tags: gambling, gambling sites, online gambling Leave a comment »
UK tax policy regarding online gambling is a source of frustration for many companies including big names such as William Hill and Ladbrokes. In fact it is widely acknowledged that the present online tax regime in the United Kingdom is disastrous. Much relief then when the sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced last week that there would be a major overhaul of the regulations.
The overhaul is apparently to focus strongly on tightening up the regulation of offshore operators. The idea is to issue individual licenses to to online firms. This is meant to prevent firms from relocating there business offshore in an effort to avoid Gordon Brown’s last move as chancellor which was to to set a tax rate of for internet gambling organizations at 15% of gross profit. The result of this is that no poker or casino sites conduct their UK business through a Gambling Commission license or pay tax here.
The new licensing scheme is designed to bring a lot of this business on shore where it will be subject to the high tax rate as set down by Gordon Brown.
A Treasury spokesperson said: “The focus of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) review was on the regulation – not taxation – of remote gambling … The Treasury will continue to work with DCMS to ensure that any implications for tax policy, arising from the proposals, are properly considered.”
I get the distinct feeling that this battle is not yet complete. The UK has one of the biggest markets for online gambling in the world. I cannot help but think that there is enough pie there for everyone to get their slice without being unfair about it. The government should be careful of driving out a industry that has so much potential for bring cash into the economy. A fair tax rate applied to many is probably going to work better than a grossly unfair one that shrinks the very industry it is taxing.
