UK Gambling Commission Reports Violations

December 21, 2007

In 2005 the United Kingdom created the Gambling Act. Last week the United Kingdom Gambling Commission released an advisory that stated the rules of the Gambling Act had been violated. The violation stated that gambling companies who offer seats to foreign tournaments were breaking the advertising rules in the Gambling Act.

Several offline and online casino and poker sites offer player’s chances to win seats in tournaments that will take place in countries other than the United Kingdom. The Commission says this is breaking the Act.

The Commission stated in the release: "It has come to the Commission's attention that a number of operators are offering places at overseas poker tournaments as prizes in U.K.-based competitions. In the Commission's view, the offering of such a prize amounts to advertising of non-U.K. gambling, as defined by section 327 of the Gambling Act 2005. Unless the overseas tournament is based in the European Economic Area, Gibraltar, or in white-listed jurisdictions, the advert is likely to amount to the advertising of 'foreign gambling,' which constitutes an offence under Section 331 of the Gambling Act 2005."

Section 331 that the Commission referred to in their release states that “a person commits an offense if he advertises foreign gambling other than a lottery”. In the act the definition for Foreign gambling is: Non-remote gambling which is to take place in a non-European Economic Area state and Remote gambling for which none of the arrangements are subject to law about gambling of an EEA state( whether by being regulated, exempted, prohibited or otherwise.)

Anyone found guilty of violating the rules of this particular section could be sentenced up to fifty-one weeks in jail and fined.

The Commission stated that offline and online operators should take the necessary steps to remove any advertising that violates the Gambling Act of 2005 and any sections therein.