Public Invited By UK Gambing Commission

Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 Online-Casinos.com

PUBLIC INPUT INVITED BY UK GAMBLING COMMISSION

Draft of Principles on Licensing and Regulation published for comment

The new UK Gambling Commission, which will control all gambling licensed in Great Britain has published its draft Statement of Principles for comment and discussion.

The document sets out the high-level values and principles which will govern the manner in which the Commission will regulate gambling under the Gambling Act 2005. Among the issues it addresses are:

• the measures the Commission should take to keep crime out of gambling
• the ways in which the Commission can ensure gambling is fair and open
• the measures that gambling operators should take to prevent children and young people from gambling
• the restrictions that can be used to prevent children gambling online
• the measures that gambling operators should take to protect vulnerable people.

Gambling Commission Chairman Peter Dean said: "The Gambling Act 2005 will come fully into force by September 2007. It tasks the Commission with implementing and overseeing a rigorous new regulatory regime for commercial gambling in Britain.

"We will be setting new conditions under which licences are granted to gambling operators and staff and issuing new codes of practice, and we will have legal powers to monitor the industry and to prosecute illegal gambling.

"The Commission's aims are to keep crime out of gambling, to make sure it is conducted fairly and openly, and to protect children and vulnerable people. Our Statement of Principles outlines the broad approach we intend to take to pursue these aims.

"We welcome and strongly encourage feedback and comments on the issues raised in the document. We will be actively consulting with the gambling industry, government bodies, charities dealing with problem gambling, consumer organisations, faith groups and with members of the public to ensure our approach is proportionate, fair and effective."

The Statement of Principles is the first document to be launched by the Commission as part of a major consultation process which will continue next year with the publication of draft licensing conditions and codes of practice which will affect the industry in future.

A copy of the Statement of Principles is available to download from the Consultation section of the Commission's website at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.

Jo O'Driscoll is the Communications Manager, 020 7306 6265, email j.odriscoll@gamblingcommission.gov.uk