Efforts are on to make the UK gambling industry more socially accountable and responsible.
Big changes are likely to be witnessed in the UK gambling industry from the September 2007 after the country’s Gambling Commission has accepted new responsibilities as well as powers under the Gambling Act 2005.
Gambling operators will now need to prove that they are in a position to meet tough new legal provisions, aimed at making the gambling industry more socially accountable and responsible.
The Gambling Act 2005 has three major objectives. They are, keeping gambling industry free of crime; making it free of any wrongdoings and keeping it fair and open, and, last but not the least, preventing young children and other vulnerable sections of society from unnecessary harassment. Gambling industry is also keen on preventing such unhealthy practices, if any, that bring a bad name to this popular mode of entertainment.
The UK Gambling Commission was formed two years ago, in October 2005. It accepted several of the responsibilities / duties of its predecessor, namely the Gaming Board of Great Britain. Also, the Commission will regulate UK based remote gambling arcades, operators, and the betting biz, as a whole.
From the month of September, UK based operators ought to have the Commission’s licence. The UK Commission has powers for prosecuting illegal gambling activities. In fact, licensed operators who are not able to meet its stringent licence conditions may face huge penalties apart from prospect of prosecution and the forfeiting of their licence. A team of compliance managers has been put in place for making sure that operators follow the new norms.
Gambling operators, since the beginning of the year, have been putting up applications for a renewed operating licence. Over nearly 2500 existing operators have completed the application procedure before the April 27, 2007 deadline, which is necessary to make sure of their continuation under the new legal arrangements effective from September 2007.
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