Who: Gambling Commission
Where: UK
When: October/November 2013
Law stated as at: 6 November 2013
What happened:
The second reading of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill 2013 in the House of Commons took place on 5 November 2013.
This is consistent with recent guidance issued by the Gambling Commission, which indicates they are working on the assumption that the proposed Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill should receive Royal Assent in December 2013, with full commencement on 1 April 2014.
Why this matters:
Under the new legislation, media owners advertising online gambling operators to British consumers will commit an offence if the operator does not have a licence from the Gambling Commission. To date, gambling operators from other EEA states and select “white-listed” territories have been able to advertise lawfully to British consumers without having a domestic British licence. The change will also impact those who have sponsorship deals with offshore operators.
Further information on the Bill and its passage can be found here.
The Gambling Commission’s FAQ document can be found here.
