There is a new trend among online casino companies, especially those who run sports betting sites. That trend is shirt sponsorship deals between football clubs and online casino companies, and it could be considered against the law in Britain. Recently, the Gambling Commission said that it would investigate whether shirt sponsorship encouraged children to gamble at online casinos. The deal could cease existing lucrative sponsorship deals with four Premiership clubs - Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur.
'This issue needs to be looked and I'm pleased ...that the Gambling Commission will be consulting on this in the New Year,' said Sports Minister Richard Caborn in the House of Commons. Any new law or ban would represent another punch to the fraught online casino sector, which has regrouped in Britain and Europe following the tightening of US online casino laws in September.
There are many online casino companies sponsoring football clubs, including some of the most popular and well-known online casino groups in the industry. The British Gambling Act comes into effect in September and the commission is in the process of drawing up regulations to cover all forms of online casino gaming. How the online casino industry in the UK will be impacted is unknown, but surely this new law will affect business for the online casinos.
When it comes to the law, matters are always grey. There is nothing clear-cut and defined when it comes to creating a framework for such a debated and controversial subject. Online casino gaming is a sector of the entertainment world that is spreading like wildfire and needs to be dealt with in an informed, responsible manner by government leaders. Because there are so many varying opinions regarding online casino gaming, it is exceptionally difficult to reach a happy medium. For online casino fans in the UK, hopefully the regulations will enable the industry to be a fun, and safe, form of entertainment for all of the online gambling fans in the country. |
