GB continuation licensing window slams shut
Deadline for white-listed operators to obtain short-term licence passes but application for full permits can still be made
The opportunity for white-listed egaming operators to apply for a licence enabling them to trade in Great Britain while their full application is being processed has now passed after the Gambling Commission’s window closed at midnight last night.
Companies can still apply for an operating licence, however they will be required to shut down British-facing operations from 1 October “ the new licensing regime start date “ up until their licence has been awarded.
“If we haven’t determined an application by an offshore operator by 1 October they will not be able to legally transact with consumers in Britain after 1 October until such time as their application is determined and, if appropriate, a licence is granted,” a spokesperson for the Gambling Commission told eGaming Review.
It is not yet known how many white-listed operators have successfully met the continuation deadline, however, a number of applicable operators such as Winamax and Cherry decided against making an application for strategic reasons.
Great Britain’s new regulatory regime is under threat from the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) after the industry body was last week granted permission to challenge the framework in the courts.
According to the GBGA, the new licensing framework should be considered “unlawful” and a “restriction on the freedom to provide services” as guaranteed by Article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The judicial review is set to be heard by the UK High Court of Justice next week while eGR‘s latest poll asks readers who they think will win the legal battle.