UK’s Upcoming Gambling Reform Continues to Attract Controversy
The UK government will likely unveil its new gambling reforms within days. The changes are motivated by the explosive growth of online betting and the increased threat of gambling addiction.
UK's gambling regulations are outdated and ill-equipped to tackle the modern online gambling landscape. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport has spent the past two years devising updates to relevant laws. Proposed changes cover land-based and online operators and require them to abide by additional guidelines.
The government is negotiating with the football clubs to have them opt-out of gambling sponsorships. The mandatory levy on operator profits did not make it into the final version of the white paper. The government wants to protect the millions of people who regularly engage in gambling from harm. If they push too hard, consumers may turn to the black market. if the new measures are too lax, they will fail to achieve the main reason for their existence.