Casino Scam Report – Proposed changes in online betting in the U.K. has sparked concern that the new regulations, which shift taxes to the consumer end, could harm the nation’s gambling industry and even the British economy in general. The manner in which the British government regulates online gambling has been met with resistance from operators who fear a reduction in gambling and thus in their profits.
Designed to protect gamblers, who in the U.K. are known as punters, the changes target operators who have attempted to reduce their expenditures by moving to jurisdictions where taxes are lower. One such place is Gibraltar. The expressed concerns have prompted some changes in the plan that were recently announced by Helen Grant, the U.K. minister for sport, tourism and equalities. She expressed concern about the proliferation of fixed odds-type gambling terminals and, specifically, the tremendous amount of betting that was taking place over the machines.
Grant said that the government should adopt a precautionary approach and take “targeted and proportionate action” to protect players who use high-stake gaming machines on the high street. She referred to the new plan as a “sensible and balanced” approach that allows for the continued use of these machines on the high street while still providing enhanced supervision and the protection of individual punters. One proposal would require gamblers placing bets of more than 50 pounds to employ account-based playing practices or place cash over the counter.
