iGaming Business – The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) has written to the UK government and Gambling Commission to declare its intention to challenge the new Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014.
The organisation, which represents Gibraltar-based online gambling operators, instructed law firm Olswang to contact Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport, Sajid Javid, attorney general Dominic Grieve and the UK Gambling Commission in order to spell out its concerns over the Act.
Under the new Act, which was given Royal Assent by the British monarchy last month, all remote gambling operators in the UK market are required to obtain a licence from the Gambling Commission to allow them to transact with British customers and advertise in the UK.
Overseas operators are also required to inform the Gambling Commission about suspicious betting patterns to help combat illegal activity and corruption in sports betting.
In addition, operators based outside of the UK will be required to pay and contribute to research, education and treatment in relation to British problem gambling and regulatory costs.
The GBGA has argued that the new law is unnecessary and will open up the UK market to operators based anywhere in the world – some of whom will not obtain a licence.
The Gibraltar organisation also said that the new regime would effectively require the Gambling Commission to police the online gambling sector on a worldwide basis.
