Brit POC online gambling bill through second reading

Legislation that will compel all online gambling operators seeking to access the UK punter to take out secondary licensing and pay taxes in Britain has sailed through its second reading in parliament with more general than specific discussion and few problems.

The Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill appears to have cross-party support and is likely to be implemented in December 2014 at the latest, observers noted after the reading.

There were suggestions around a lower taxation rate, but the discussion tended to illustrate that most politicians do not have a comprehensive knowledge of the industry or online gambling in general.

There was some digression into the controversial topic of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in retail betting shops, a related but not pertinent subject in the online gambling context.

Transitional licensing for operators already in the UK market will probably be available from April next year.