British regulator responds to GBGA legal threat
Gambling Commission leaves it late to meet 16 July deadline with response to be kept confidential
The UK government and Gambling Commission has responded to the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association’s (GBGA) threat of a legal challenge to the recently passed Gambling Bill.
The GBGA wrote to both parties late last month to request an urgent review of the Bill, which is set to see Great Britain adopt a Point of Consumption-based regulatory framework on 1 October.
The industry body, backed by a number of its members such as 32Red and 888, had warned the two parties that failure to respond to its request by the extended deadline of 16 July would leave it with little alternative but to seek a judicial review.
And eGaming Review understands the GBGA received the response on deadline Wednesday evening and will now study the reply with its Olswang legal team and active members before deciding to make any comment.
Speaking to eGR on Wednesday, the Commission refused to reveal the contents of its response but gave little indication it was prepared to concede any ground to the GBGA.
“Any response is between the parties concerned,” a spokesperson for the Commission said. “In the meantime we continue to prepare for implementation of the Act on 1 October,” the spokesperson added.
The GBGA has argued that the new regulatory framework would not only be “unworkable” but also “unlawful” with preference for a ‘passporting’ system often used in the financial industry.
The association boasts more than 20 Gibraltar-based operators as members however not all are fully behind the move with William Hill, Ladbrokes and bet365 all having opted to take no part in potential legal action.