Government source have suggested that the free for all for online bingo/casino/poker operators is due to come to an end and that major restrictions are on the cards. While they cite that problem gambling is the root reason for imposing restrictions, anyone with half a brain can see this is not the real reason. Despite regulating and legislating online casino, bingo, poker and other online gambling activities, the UK government has actually been shoddy in their follow-up regarding the collection of taxes, license fees and other valuable income from this industry for Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise.
Now that a state of tacit agreement exists, they are attempting to use health and safety issues as an excuse to collect – without in fact having any supporting research to back up this argument. What I want to know is, how stupid do they actually think we are?
Why not call a spade a spade and simply say; offshore online gambling operators are not paying the piper in terms of the fact that they make a very good living from UK online gamblers? Instead the Govt. is making wishy-washy statements regarding White Listing and even the possibility of restricting credit card payments for UK online gambling. This has already been tried in the US. Wake up – UIGEA does not work and people who want to gamble online will!
It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that the Government wants a slice of the huge amounts of money made in the online bingo/gambling industry. So what is the big deal? Say so and get over it. Protecting UK gamblers from less than kosher online operators is also ok, but be honest and don’t tell us they have to protect the public from themselves. We don’t want the UK government deciding what we may or may not use our credits cards for in terms of our online spending, and neither might we add, does the US!
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