David Clifton’s new ‘Licensing Expert’ article for SBC News has been published today with the title ‘UK Gambling’s settlement is required sooner rather than later’. That slightly curious title is explained within the sub-heading: ‘Parliament returns from its summer recess with a new Prime Minister and senior cabinet, but gambling remains in the dark with regards to its regulatory future, in which an urgent settlement is required on dragged-out affairs for all industry stakeholders’.

Within the article (that you can download below), David:

• explains why he doubts we will see publication of the UK Government’s Gambling Act Review White Paper this side of the New Year 2023,
• queries whether the UK’s Gambling Commission was justified in giving itself top marks in its recently published Annual Report,
• maintains that most gambling operators licensed by the UKGC are genuinely seeking to achieve the highest regulatory standards expected by their regulator but adds comment on sanctions imposed in recent weeks by the UKGC on the following gambling operators for AML and social responsibility failings:
  • Entain Group companies LC International Limited and Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Limited: a record-breaking total of £17 million, leading the Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes to say: “this is the second time this operator has fallen foul of rules in place to make gambling safer and crime-free …. further serious breaches will make the removal of their licence to operate a very real possibility”
  • Spreadex Limited: £1.36 million
  • LeoVegas: £1.32 million
  • Smarkets (Malta) Limited: £630,000,
• seeks clarification from the UKGC to resolve confusion created by its Remote Customer Interaction requirements and guidance update, published on 2 September, and
• looks forward to moderating a panel session entitled ‘UK Re-wired – UK Gambling Act 2005 under the Spotlight’ on 21 September at this year’s SBC Summit Barcelona – the ‘Global Betting and iBetting Show’ – being held between 20 and 22 September at Fira Barcelona Montjuïc.

UPDATE: As explained in our subsequent website posting entitled ‘Rumours abound that Gambling Act Review White Paper may face the guillotine’, we await to see whether the White Paper ever sees the light of day.