No nasties for online gambling in UK budget

The latest UK budget announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling this week holds no unpleasant surprises for the gambling industry, although other soft targets like the tobacco and alcohol industries were as usual hit with increased duties.
Bingo sites will receive some relief from the end of March, when duties will reduce by two points to 20 percent, with all gaming duty bands and rates of Amusement Machine Licence Duty increasing in line with inflation.
It’s a budget that precedes a general election, and that should be remembered. Additional concerns are already being expressed by offshore gambling operators licensed in white-listed jurisdictions that enable them to advertise and promote in the UK; the British government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport is already deeply embroiled in an inititaive that is likely to see ‘secondary licensing’ emerge.
This will likely oblige offshore operators wishing to continue to attract UK business to pay taxes and contribute to horse racing levies once implemented.

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