New gambling laws to protect children and vulnerable people, cut crime and
keep games fair were in force from Saturday 1st September.
The Gambling Act 2005, which replaces legislation dating as far back as 1845,
will govern nearly all forms of gambling including: gaming in arcades and adult
gaming centres; betting; bingo; casinos; gambling in clubs and pubs; lotteries
(except the National Lottery) and remote gambling.
The Act creates the Gambling Commission, one of the most powerful gambling
regulators in the world. It will be able to levy unlimited fines, withdraw licences,
bring prosecutions, enter premises, seize goods and suspend and void bets.
The Act also gives a new role to local authorities, empowering more than 1500
licensing officers (alongside 50 specialist Gambling Commission compliance officers)
to inspect gambling premises to enforce the new laws.
Key changes to gambling regulation include that:
- For the first time, betting shops and remote gambling sites based in the
UK will be governed by a dedicated regulator, the Gambling Commission.
- Local authorities will be able to impose sanctions on operators, including
limiting opening hours and reducing numbers of gaming machines.
- Local people will be able to object to new gambling licences and seek reviews
of existing ones.
- New codes governing advertising come into force, requiring ads to be socially
responsible and banning the use of models under 25 or linking gambling to
sexual success.
- Adverts from outside Europe that fail to meet the UK's strict regulatory
requirements will be banned.
- TV advertisements will be allowed for the first time, but subject to a voluntary
9pm watershed (with the exemption of betting ads during sports events).
- The membership requirement on casinos is lifted.
- Bingo clubs will be able to offer rollover jackpots.
- Questions on phone-in quizzes on TV and radio must be harder. This is to
prevent pay-to-enter phone quizzes that are too easy operating as if they
were lotteries and therefore evading limits on stakes and prizes and the legal
requirement for licensed lotteries to give 20% of profits to charity.
- Gambling operators will be required to display prominently information about
responsible gambling and how to get help for problems. They will also have
to work proactively to prevent underage gambling and contribute to problem
gambling treatment and research, education and public awareness.
- Betting cheats, including sportspeople, will face a two year jail sentence.
- UK-based betting operators will be required to pass information to sports
bodies to prevent cheating.
- Gambling debts will become legally enforceable, helping to ensure those
who win get paid.
Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced on Friday that:
"Many people like to gamble, and for the vast majority it's harmless fun.
This has and always will be the case. But what has changed is the way people
gamble. It used to be that you had to leave the house to place a bet, but advances
in technology have changed that - TVs, home computers and mobile phones have
become the digital equivalent of a betting slip and casino chip."
"The Government brought in the Gambling Act because most of our laws were
nearly 40 years old and these developments were going unchecked and unregulated.
That's why 1 September is so important. The Gambling Act will give the Gambling
Commission and local authorities unprecedented powers to ensure gambling is
conducted fairly, children and vulnerable people are protected and crime is
kept out."
The Gambling Act received Royal Assent in April 2005 and on 1 October 2005
the Gambling Commission was established. Since then over 50 pieces of secondary
legislation have been laid after due consultation with industry, local authorities
and other stakeholders. The Gambling Commission has also published licensing
conditions, codes of practice and other guidance.
The Gambling Act replaces nearly all existing gambling legislation including:
the Gaming Act 1845, the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, the Gaming
Act 1968 and the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976.
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