UK Government Freezes Online Gambling White List
Date published: 23 July 2009
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Even though the United Kingdom is one of only a few countries that has
embraced the legalization and regulation of land and online gambling, it has not
stopped the country's government from continually reviewing its online gambling
legislation, which is why it has 'frozen' the UK White List.
According to reports, one of the reasons the UK Government froze the White List
was in response to a recent outcry from UK-based bookmakers who have been
complaining that the current gambling framework, although legal and regulated,
is not fair to all operators. They are calling for a 'level playing field'.
A big part of the problem lies outside of the UK in neighbouring European
countries. Under the European Commission (EC), all countries or member states of
the European Union (EU) should operate their land and online gambling industries
similarly, i.e. open them up as per EU fair competition laws and rules.
Launched in 2007, the White List consists of a number of gambling jurisdictions
'approved' by the government, such as Alderney and the Isle of Man, and others
based within the European Union. This meant that online gambling sites licensed
outside of the White List jurisdictions, could not target UK gamblers.
As such, online gambling firms stumbled over themselves to become licensed at a
White List jurisdiction, especially at that time when the once lucrative
American online gambling market had virtually dried up overnight following the
passing of UIGEA, a piece of U.S. legislation designed to ban online gambling.
Since then the White List has been amended many times as applicants have applied
to become a part of it. Now, however, it seems that the UK government has frozen
the list, meaning that it is not accepting any more applicants for the
foreseeable future while it is still actively reviewing the UK Gambling Act.
The reality, however, is that few European countries have opened up their
gambling industries like the UK has. For instance, the UK allows EU licensed
operators to advertise and operate in the country, while in return countries
like France and Italy don't allow UK-based gambling operators the same courtesy.
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