When you regulate an industry you must also ensure that it has a watchdog which can protect the rights of the consumer.
In relation to gambling in the
Set up in October 2005 under the Gambling Act of the same year it has taken over the role of the Gaming Board for
It's mission statement says it aims to "help to protect children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited." -i.e. not getting their pockets emptied like the poor character pictured left!
It is also responsible for advising local and central government on issues related to gambling.
So how useful is the gambling commission and what kind of questions are they asked on a regular basis? Well here are just some of those queries and the corresponding answers. (all questions on gambling comm. website)
Q: Am I breaking the law if I gamble on the internet?
A: There is nothing in current legislation which makes it illegal, or seeks to prevent, British residents gambling on the internet in their own homes.
Q: Can I hold a casino night?
A: Organisations that wish to provide casino games for charitable or other non-commercial purposes may do so under the prize gaming provisions of the gambling act. Non-commercial gaming of this kind may only take place at events where none of the proceeds from the event itself are used for private gain.
Q: Can I run an online poker site?
A: If you are based in Great Britain and wish to run an online poker site after 1 September 2007 then you will require an operating licence from the Gambling Commission.
Q: Can we play poker in our local pub?
A: The Gambling Act 2005 allows equal chance gaming (including poker) but introduces strict conditions for any gambling, including limits on stakes and prizes, and provides licensing authorities with powers to take action
against individual premises in a range of circumstances.The regulations set a fixed limit of £5 per game on the amount that may be staked by a player in any type of equal chance gaming in pubs and other premises with a bar. There is also a limit on prizes of £100 per day.
Q: How do I complain about a gambling advertisement?
A: Licensed operators must follow the rules put in place by the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP), the Broadcast Committee for Advertising Practice (BCAP) and an Industry code of Practice. If you have a complaint about an advertisement you should contact the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) using their online complaints form.
Q: What are the most popular gambling activities?
A: According to the last prevalence study, the most popular gambling activity in Britain is lotteries, expecially the National Lottery, with some two thirds of the population having bought a lottery ticket in the past year. The second most popular gambling activity is the purchase of scrathcards with one in five (22%) people purchasing scratchcards in the past year. This is followed by fruitmachines (14%) and betting on horseracing (13%).
IF YOU WANT TO ASK THE GAMBLING COMMISSION A QUESTION E-MAIL VIA THE WEBSITE www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk) OR CALL 0121 230 6666
