UK Government delay POC bill

The UK Government has confirmed that the new Gambling & Licensing Act which was supposed to come in to effect on 1^st October has been delayed till the 1^st November. The Point of Consumption (POC) tax as it is known has been delayed say the government to allow no undue pressure towards the judge presiding over the current legal challenge by the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) that represents many of the online operators supplying the UK online gambling market.

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “We remain fully confident of our case, and of the significant benefits to consumer protection that the Act will bring. However to allow the judge to reach his judgement without undue time pressure we will be taking the necessary steps to postpone the Act coming into force for one month.”

Under the changes outlined in the new act, businesses wishing to advertise or provide remote gambling services to consumers in Great Britain will be required to obtain a license from the Gambling Commission to do so.

The GBGA has challenged the government’s assertion that the changes in regulation will deliver benefits to consumers. It described the proposals as “illegitimate, disproportionate and discriminatory … and irrational” and said the plans were “designed for economic reasons: to grant UK operators a competitive advantage over those from overseas”. It has said that the changes could even be detrimental to consumers in Great Britain if introduced.