The Gambling Commission last week issued revised licence conditions for all UK gambling operators, to take effect in January next year. Updated provisions include a requirement for remote operators to specify where they offer games under foreign gambling licences on the same website as their UK-licensed offerings.

The UK is now unique among leading international gambling jurisdictions in permitting low stakes gaming machines to be accessed by minors, a new Gambling Commission study has found, highlighting concerns that youth gambling could be an “emerging public health issue” in Britain.

A move by the UK’s Department of Culture Media and Sport to consider allowing increased payouts on category C and D machines has been welcomed by seaside arcade operators, but the process has exposed a worrying absence of empirical evidence as to the effects of bigger prizes, leaving operators at the mercy of political prejudice.

While the gambling industry is highly regulated it is also vulnerable to criminal and socially unacceptable behaviour. A high spending customer base makes it highly valued by marketing organizations, but it also attracts the attention of public and private bodies anxious to identify potentially addictive behaviour, creating unusual data management dilemmas for the industry.

In legislating and regulating gambling in Great Britain a shared and workable definition of the various types of gambling and their key characteristics is vital. However the constantly changing nature of gambling, and the technology that enables it, is threatening to outstrip the regulator’s ability to define the activity.

In the long-running dispute between Aspinall’s Club and Fouad “the Fat Man”  Al Zayat, the bonds that bind and obligate casinos - and their favourite deep pocketed clients - have been tested and found to be interesting.

The Gambling Commission should be forced to carefully reconsider the definition of an illegal lottery under the 2005 Gambling Act after attempts by a British couple to raffle their house revealed gaping flaws in the regulator’s guidelines over skill-based competitions.

As the slowing economy begins to affect the fortunes of the traditionally recession resilient gambling industry, lenders should be aware of the regulatory issues involved should they find themselves having to foreclose on a licensed gambling operator.

Junkets have traditionally provided a major source of revenue for casino and other gambling operators around the world, but have been frowned on in the UK. The Gambling Act has introduced changes which may bring about a shift in this aspect of Britain’s gambling law.

Fantasy sports games are now hugely popular on both sides of the Atlantic. But from a regulatory perspective, whether fantasy sports will be classified as a game of skill or chance will depend on the peculiarities of each game and will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

The Gambling Commission has opened a summer consultation on its concerns regarding multiple premises licensing and operators’ attempts to exploit the 2005 Gambling Act to maximise the number of gaming machines they are entitled to offer. But the recent announcement on bingo machines could present an opportunity for legislative action.

The process of issuing 16 new casino licences in Great Britain represents one of the last significant opportunities for the casino industry to grow in the UK, absent a reversal of the government’s current attitude to the introduction of regional casinos. GamblingCompliance presents a practical guide to the likely long-winding licensing process that lies ahead.

The Gambling Commission has reminded traditional seaside amusement arcade operators of their obligations to comply with the 2005 Gambling Act’s licence conditions and codes of practice, and warned that the Commission’s inspection team will be planning a visit over the summer holidays.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has added a recent television advertisement for William Hill’s online bingo site to those already found to be in breach of the new standards established in response to the requirements of the 2005 Gambling Act.

The UK betting industry and the Gambling Commission continue to debate issues such as the standardisation of betting rules and the dangers of in-play betting. Cooperation between bookmakers and the sports governing bodies is essential on these and other key issues if further invasive regulation is to be avoided.

After a legislative hold-up which has seen the abandonment of Government plans to authorise a regional casino to be built in Great Britain, and a delay of nearly a year in approving an additional 8 ‘large’ and 8 ‘small’ casinos, the House of Lords has finally passed statutory instruments which will allow the authorisation of the new casinos to proceed to the next stage.

Remote gambling operators frequently apply for, and operate under, licences obtained from more than one jurisdiction. But how do customers know who they are protected by, and how do regulators determine tax, duty and other obligations of these operators?

The UK’s Gambling Regulator has moved one step closer to the recommendation of a statutory levy for the UK industry.

Although the Government has announced “significant progress” in negotiations between the betting industry and racecourse owners on the future of on-course betting pitches, the reality is that these two interest groups seem determined to remain at odds, in the hope, perhaps that the DCMS will eventually ride to the rescue.

Recently released quarterly statistics produced by the Gambling Commission show that participation in online gambling in the UK has not increased since 2006. But with doubts surrounding the effectiveness of the survey lingering, industry figures may harbour concerns that policy decision making may be based on fragile statistical analysis.

Confirmation of a first ever all-English UEFA Champions League final in Moscow in three weeks time spells good news for UK bookies. But ahead of what is likely to prove record business on a European football final, they should also take the opportunity to review their published football betting rules, and consider some of the pitfalls that less experienced punters should be aware of.

The dispute over multiple premises licences, being fought out between UK’s Gambling Commission and the industry it oversees, continues to escalate. Nevertheless there may yet be an opportunity to address the underlying grievance that concerns the failure of the regulations to establish a level playing field when it comes to machine entitlements.

Tax and regulatory changes have allowed for the explosive growth in the use of fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in UK betting shops over the past decade. But as FOBTs continue to cause some degree of concern to both the Gambling Commission and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport - based on a growing body of evidence that the machines may prove particularly attractive to problem gamblers – certain question marks remain over their future.

The 2005 Gambling Act lists the protection of children and other vulnerable people from exploitation as one of its core objectives. On this issue, the intent of the Gambling Commission is clear, but some of the practical questions raised by the new Act are more complex.

The Gambling Commission has initiated a consultation process on revised Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice for UK-based gambling operators, which include changes to the player protection and reporting obligations of companies licensed under the 2005 Gambling Act.

With Tiger Woods a red-hot favourite for golf’s first Major of the year, the US Masters at Augusta, due to tee off later today, both bookmakers and punters should be aware of some of the golf betting disputes adjudication service IBAS anticipates receiving this summer. Golf betting disputes can evolve from tied matches, each-way places and players retiring before completing all tournament rounds.

Concern that gambling charities have so far received insufficient voluntary funding from the industry in order to run sustainable programs raises wider questions about the industry’s true commitment to the task of tackling problem gambling.

The Court of Appeal will hear a challenge next week from two parties seeking to shift the burden of proof in the so-called ‘demand test’ for pending casino applications under the 1968 Gaming Act. A favourable verdict could make it easier for applicants to overcome objections from existing casino operators and lead to a proliferation of new casino gambling premises in the UK beyond the 16 already authorised under the 2005 Gambling Act. At least one pending application has already been adjourned ahead of the Court of Appeal’s potentially significant ruling.

Under the 2005 Gambling Act, gambling operators no longer have to prove there is sufficient demand for gambling in the local area in order to obtain a premises licence for a new gaming venue. However, operators will still need to obtain planning permission for new and converted premises, and local authorities retain the right to scrutinise local development issues in this regard.

In accordance with the 2005 Gambling Act, all operators licensed by the Gambling Commission can expect scheduled and ad-hoc visits from the Commission’s new inspection team to check compliance with the Act’s primary objectives and licence conditions. But, whilst operators should prepare for inspections cautiously, the Commission’s director of monitoring and enforcement explains that inspections are also an opportunity for operators to demonstrate compliance and earn less burdensome regulatory scrutiny.