The proposal, which was announced by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe and is open to consultation first, would impose obligations on overseas firms active in Britain. These would include sharing information about suspicious betting patterns with the UK’s sports governing bodies and the Gambling Commission, complying with British licence requirements including the protection of children and vulnerable people, and demonstrating how the firms would contribute to the research, education and treatment of problem gambling in Britain.
What the plans mean for operators based outside the European Economic Area member states and Gibraltar is currently under consideration. The British government has a “whitelist” of countries whose gambling portal operators can legally advertise in the UK, which at present are Antigua and Barbuda, Tasmania, the States of Alderney and the Isle of Man. “Whitelisting” assesses the regulatory frameworks for gambling in jurisdictions outside Europe that have sought permission to advertise in the UK.
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The Government intends to keep the “whitelist” in some form as a fundamental part of any future regulatory system. Proposals for any changes to it are included in the consultation period.
Mr Sutcliffe announced the plans following a review of online gambling regulation in the UK that focused on consumer protection and ways to ensure overseas operators contribute towards regulation, problem gambling treatment and the Horserace Betting Levy.
Sutcliffe detailed last year a new sports betting integrity panel in Britain to ensure fair play in the industry.