Archive | August, 2018

Camelot to pay £1.15 million penalty for historic control and governance failings

The Gambling Commission has today announced on its website the results of its investigation into historic control and governance failings at the National Lottery operator, Camelot. That investigation was launched in December 2016, just over 3 years after the Commission assumed the regulatory functions previously exercised by the National Lottery Commission. The Commission’s announcement states that Camelot will pay a £1.15 […]

More of the same with yet more to come ….

In this month’s Licensing Expert article for SBC News entitled “More of the same with yet more to come” (that can be downloaded below), David Clifton summarises the changes to the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (‘LCCP’) that will be coming into force on 31 October 2018. You can read more about that on […]

David Clifton to moderate CasinoBeats “UK tax hike” session during Betting on Sports week

At 12.10 on Wednesday 19 September, as part of SBC Events “Betting on Sports” week at Olympia, London, David Clifton will be moderating a CasinoBeats panel session entitled “UK Tax Hike”. His panellists will be Clive Hawkswood, CEO of the Remote Gambling Association (“RGA”), Steven Effingham, Director of Tax Policy at Ernst & Young and James Myles, Director […]

Forthcoming changes to the Gambling Commission’s e-Services

The Gambling Commission has announced the following forthcoming improvements to its eServices for licensed gambling businesses: Online payments: From 1 September 2018, the Commission will only accept annual fee payments online via e-Services or via BACS. It has published a 90-second YouTube video explaining how to pay online. Change your email address and password: From 20 August 2018, you […]

Welsh MUP legislation receives Royal Assent

On 19 June 2018, we reported that the Welsh Assembly had approved the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill, as a result of which a minimum unit price (“MUP”) of alcohol would be introduced in Wales. As confirmed in a news item on the Welsh Government website (that can be downloaded below), what is now the Public Health (Minimum […]

Gambling operators asked to collaborate on new harm-prevention research

An extensive new research project (commissioned by GambleAware and supported jointly by the Gambling Commission and its expert advisors the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (“RGSB”) is to explore whether some gambling products and environments are more harmful than others. Gambling operators licensed by the Commission will be asked to provide consumer gambling activity data that will be used to: understand […]

From “problem gambling” to “gambling-related harm”

In an interview for iGaming Times entitled “From ‘problem gambling’ to ‘gambling-related harm’” (that can be downloaded below), David Clifton answers the following questions about a noticeable recent shift in Gambling Commission policy focus: What is driving the shift in focus from “problem gambling” to “gambling-related harm”? How is this shift already being borne out in terms of […]

Gambling Commission issues ICO warning regarding GlobeCas

In an unusual move, the Gambling Commission has published on its website a warning by way of “information notice” that states as follows: “We have been made aware that a company seeking investment in an Initial Coin Offering (“ICO”) operation is claiming to be licensed by the Gambling Commission. We would like to make it clear that GlobeCas does […]

Any nearer to breaking the Pubs Code?

In this month’s “Legal” page for Pub & Bar Magazine, Suzanne Davies provides an update on the now long-running Pubs Code saga, including the oral evidence given by the Pubs Code Adjudicator (“PCA”), Paul Newby, and his deputy, Fiona Dickie on 26 June 2018 to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, on which we have […]