UK is the most regulated online gambling industry there is. This is why there are hardly ever any problems concerning this business in the UK. UK holds clear rules and regulations in regards to online gambling and those are rarely disputed. Therefore, those UK online companies prosper in a rather trouble free environment.
However, there is now a wave of disapproval of the UK government’s leniency towards online gambling advertising. It is said that too much of it is on display and Liberal Democrat MP Tessa Munt is resolute that enough is enough. And she has summoned the Prime Minister into this growing issue as she feels that the online gambling industry is being too aggressive in their advertising campaigns. MP Munt has even asked for Ofcom; the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, to conduct a report in the amount of advertising being done by online gambling companies. As per M.P. Munt, there is about 36 hours of gaming related adverts every week on television in the U.K.
Munt’s plea to Prime Minister David Cameron is to look at consummers’ protection and to keep them and children away from such business. And this too, during such tough times where there is £1.45 trillion in personal debt in the UK and the nation is being asked to be sensible in their spending.
Even if Munt has a point, the Prime Minister is not so much concerned about the volume of online gambling advertisement being done, but more so of their quality. David Cameron said it had more to do with the internet betting industry’s ethics and how they consider the type of advertising they wish to air. Those companies should be responsible enough to know if they are behaving too strongly in their promotional approach.
Irish giant bookie Paddy Power said in reply to Cameron’s statement, that they did not feel their marketing is aggressive, but he would call it entertaining.