The UK Gambling Bill will be an embarrassing failure if key changes are not made in the next few weeks, according to Nigel Payne, chief executive of Sportingbet.
Payne told the AGM of industry association iGGBA it was “crunch time” for the Bill, saying the government faces the prospect of failing to attract any egaming firms to relocate to the UK if further amendments aren’t made.
“The Bill as it stands at the moment is a mistake,” Payne said.
“I don’t think there is anybody in this industry that is happy with where we are today,” he said.
“The chances of [the larger egaming firms] relocating to the UK are currently nil,” he added.
Payne said operators are concerend at the continuing absence of a tax rate for online gaming, and the lack of clarity in the controversial clause 35.
Clause 35 defines an egaming operator as requiring a UK licence if “at least one piece of remote gambling equipment used in the provision of the facilities is situated in Great Britain.”
“The government has got 95% of it right, but the way it is doing it now could easily backfire,” Payne said.
And he added the UK government was in danger of missing an opportunity to make the UK the “de facto hub” for the global egaming industry.
“This is being watched around the world like a hawk, and if we get it wrong we will be a walking embarrassment,” Payne said.
source : egaming review magazine
