Yesterday, the British Conservative Government issued a manifesto, according to which the country’s gambling legislation needs to be modernised so that it becomes more relevant to the digital age. The party also revealed that it is ready to review the Gambling Act in order to make it more suitable for the specifics of the sector.
According to the document that the Conservative Government unveiled recently, the changes that have to be brought to the major piece of legislation regulating the industry must be primarily focused on credit card use and loot boxes. Both issues have been among the most discussed problems in the contemporary gambling sector in the UK, with them even being blamed for raising gambling participation and problem gambling rates, especially among younger people.
As the Labour Party’s manifesto reads, the Members of Parliament are aimed at making the UK the safest place to be online, and that includes all aspects of being online, including gambling. The party is willing to protect children and vulnerable people from accessing harmful content and making sure that online gambling is not used for funding terrorist organisations online.
Considering the fact that the Internet services are constantly making progress, including when it comes to gambling, the British Gambling Act is increasingly becoming more unsuitable to meet the needs for proper regulation in an age that becomes more and more digitalised.
Gambling Advertising Needs to Be Reviewed and Updated, Too
The 59-page manifesto was rolled out less than three weeks before the country’s general election that is scheduled for December 12th.
The Labour Party is calling for a review of the current Gambling Act so that the latter is modernised in a way that better corresponds to the needs of the online gambling era. The party shared it was ready to review the sector with a particular focus on tackling problems associated with credit card misuse and loot boxes.
Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has also explained that gambling advertising needs to be reviewed and updated, too. Mr Corbyn believes that a new Gambling Act is needed so that it is fit for the digital age, so the piece of legislation would have to address some of the issues that are associated with greater harm inflicted on customers.
The introduction of a direct levy on companies that fund networks that support problem gambling initiatives across the UK, along with an overhaul on gambling advertising is expected to happen as a result of the Gambling Act review. New gambling limits could also be introduced.
Previously, the former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, had called for such a review. Apart from that, Mr Watson has called for the Government to establish an independent civic ombudsman to monitor consumer engagements in the UK gambling industry.
- Author
Daniel Williams
