Monday 10 September 2007

GAMBLING MARKETS

EUROPE: Television advertising by gambling companies deregulated by the 2005 Gambling Act.

The Gambling Act 2005 which comes into force on 1 September 2007 contains a number of provisions, key amongst which is the deregulation of television advertising.

Gambling companies will be able to broadcast advertisements after 9pm; sports betting advertisements will be permitted during sporting events broadcast before this watershed.

However, the Act only applies to companies based in the European Economic Area, Gibraltar or a 'white-list' of other approved domiciles. Key centres of online gambling activity such as Costa Rica and Antigua have not yet applied to join the 'white-list'.

The measures have been criticised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as a 'recipe for disaster'.

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