The new UK Gambling Act is ready for a comprehensive review, announced by the British government earlier this week. The new legislation will improve upon the rules set by the 2005 Gambling Act.

New restrictions in place

The gambling companies are now expecting new restrictions on betting for online slots. The restrictions could come in the form of caps on the amount of bet per spin. This could lead to decreasing revenues for gambling firms, especially online casinos. Note that online slot games are very popular among British users.

The UK Chairman of Flutter Entertainment, Ian Proctor sad that the British gambling rules need an update for the digital age. Flutter owns two British gambling giants- Sky Bet and Paddy Power. Proctor said,

“We take [problem gambling] incredibly seriously, but let’s also get this in a little bit of context. For millions of people every week, they enjoy a bet, it’s a leisure activity, it gives people a lot of pleasure. For some people, it’s not, for a small minority. And we need to make gambling safer for those people.”

British government looking for balance

While Flutter Entertainment is looking for a new Gambling Act that doesn’t demand an iron fist approach, the government acknowledges that British people love gambling. According to Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston, the review will bring some balance between individuals’ freedom while ensuring protection for problem gambling. Former Labour MP Tom Watson, who was one of the strongest supporters of gambling reforms in the UK, recently joined Flutter Entertainment as a problem gambling advisor.

The British gambling lobby is very strong because of which it is likely that the biggest gambling companies will not be affected too drastically because of the new laws. However, there are voices in the country, like The Guardian, which is calling for the Gambling Review to be free from any influence from the industry.