UK GAMBLING COMMISSION REPORTS ON THE YEAR
24 July 2009
Land operations still dominate the licensing
list
The UK Gambling Commission published its annual report
for 2008-2009 this week, revealing that a total of 520
operating licences were issued during the year, mainly
to small operators or converted lottery licences, of
which the majority went to land betting operators,
gaming machine suppliers and society lotteries.
As at 31 March 2009, a total of 4 166 operating licences
were active. In addition 4 271 personal licences were
issued.
The Commission's Licence Conditions and
Codes of Practice were revised, setting out the
regulatory framework within which licensed operators
must provide facilities for gambling. The new edition of
LCCP came into force on 1 January 2009.
Other
important achievements during the year included:
* Significant progress made in implementing a risk
based approach to compliance and enforcement - as
acknowledged by the Hampton Implementation Review;
* The Commission's recommendations on research,
education and treatment were accepted and the new
Responsible Gambling Strategy Board set up;
* A
revised Guidance to Licensing Authorities was published
which reflected the Commission's experiences in applying
the Gambling Act to date;
* Completion of an
initiative aimed at streamlining the organisation to
improve its efficiency as a regulator.
Issues
considered over the year included primary gambling
activity, house lotteries, whether bingo machines are
gaming machines, betting in pubs, and betting integrity
particularly in sports betting. Time and effort was
invested in developing a better understanding of the
interpretation and practical implications of the 2005
Gambling Act, making sure that the gambling industry
understands the need to comply with licensing
objectives, especially in an industry challenged by
world-wide economic recession.
The Commission's
valuable research projects have produced a stream of
useful gambling industry statistics which are published
from time to time, and the Commission has prepared a
separate publication alongside the report and accounts
for 2008/09 to cover gambling statistics for the year 1
April 2008 to 31 March 2009. This includes basic
information on each industry sector - betting, bingo,
casinos, gaming machines and arcades, lotteries and
remote gambling, and will be published soon.
The
Commission has also revamped its website at
www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk, which is now split
more easily into the different gambling sectors
following consistent feedback requesting this change.
There will also be a new section for licensing
authorities.
Online Casino News Courtesy of
Infopowa
More news here.
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