UK Gambling Review may impose limits on U25s

The review of the Gambling Act in the United Kingdom has been one of the most hotly-discussed topics. Postponed on numerous occasions due to a deepening political crisis in the country, the past several months have been the first time of relative political calm that lawmakers have had to work on the seminal document.

As time has got on, there have been many rumors about what the review may bring around. Rumors have swirled that affordability checks are coming. Critics have lambasted such measures as short-sighted and warned of the unintended consequences of such ham-fisted politics.

The Premier League is said to be considering withdrawing support for sponsorships between gambling operators and teams, and there is more. One of the rumors to have caught media attention over the last week is a report done by The Sun, a newspaper, that argues that online slot games may actually have a new betting limit set, not unlike the fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

The rates cited by the media say that online slots may be capped at £2 and £15. The lower threshold will be targeted at individuals aged 25 or younger. Essentially, the United Kingdom may be taking a page from the Netherlands’ playbook, as the jurisdiction has been putting a greater emphasis on restricting gambling products and their exposure to individuals who are not of a certain age.

There has been no official comment to substantiate these claims so far. The Culture Department, which is working on the overhaul of the gambling laws has not commented on the matter. Most of the people who advocate for tougher measures argue that there are very good reasons for these to be there.

For one, additional tax and stake restrictions would help protect consumers better. Affordability checks are another way for gamblers to stay within the confines of their means and not overspend.

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), the nation’s regulator, has issued a series of considerable fines over the past weeks, targeting gambling businesses in the United Kingdom over significant anti-money laundering and social responsibility failings.

There have been those who have argued that overreaching measures would backfire and push more consumers into the grip of illegal gambling companies. This is yet to be substantiated with facts. Another contentious issue has been how the regulator should handle advertisements.

Once again, there are hardliners on both sides. A growing number of people though are calling for the suspension of gambling advertisements, but this is an unlikely scenario.

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