Earlier this month the Gambling Commission put into place a means to regulate and monitor all activities of British gambling operators. They have also set out actions that they will take against any operators who chose not to comply with these rules and secondly, against those who decide to run an illegal gambling operation.
For starters, all gambling operators will be required to hold a license provided by the Commission. This license won’t come easy as all key individuals who will be involved in the gambling business will undergo a range of checks. Included in these are, criminal record, financial and integrity checks. This step will help safeguard against criminal activities in gambling.
Next, the commission will ensure that licensed operators comply with a number of rules that have been newly introduced. In order to ensure operators are following the rules, Commission staff will routinely visit casinos, betting shops, online gambling sites and other gambling related establishments to make sure the rules are being complied with. The use of “mystery shoppers” will also be used. Again, this step is in place to help ensure that gambling operators in the UK are being socially responsible and to help keep crime out.
And finally, the Commission has stated that if these terms are not met, enforcement action will be taken against violators. Operators in breach may find that their licenses may be suspended or revoked and may face potential unlimited fines. For more severe violations, such as, operating without a license or extreme cheating cases, the Commission will investigate and prosecute guilty parties.
“We have three clear regulatory objectives: to keep crime out, to make sure gambling is fair and open, and to protect children and vulnerable people from harm. We will be risk-based, proportionate and fair in our approach to regulation, and our processes will be as streamlined and efficient as possible. But we will not hesitate to use our extensive legal powers to prosecute any illegal gambling activity, or to take action against licensed operators who fail to comply with the new rules we have set out.” States Peter Dean, Gambling Commission Chairman.
