UMVA has learned that the British government is intensifying its efforts to tackle the growing issue of illegal gambling in the UK, with the launch of a new Illegal Gambling Taskforce.
The taskforce will bring together a powerful coalition of regulators, payment companies, technology platforms, law enforcement agencies, trade bodies, and gambling industry representatives, all working together to disrupt financial transactions connected to illegal operators and limit online advertising tied to unlicensed gambling.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the taskforce will focus on identifying solutions to the complex issues surrounding the facilitation and promotion of illegal gambling, particularly online, and will work to improve coordination between organizations already involved in enforcement work.
The taskforce will be jointly led by the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's director of sport and gambling, and will include industry figures and companies, although their identities will remain private.
“Names of specific organisations and individuals that are members will not be published,” the government said, adding that the taskforce will run for an initial 12 months before reviewing its structure and membership.
As the taskforce gets to work, it will be coordinating information sharing rather than directly enforcing gambling law, and will work closely with the Gambling Commission to disrupt the black market.
The announcement arrives as ministers and regulators increase scrutiny of black market gambling operations, with recent research showing that nearly all illegal sports streaming websites viewed in the UK carry black market gambling advertising, exposing viewers to unlicensed operators.
Licensed betting companies are warning that tougher regulation and higher taxes could drive customers toward unregulated alternatives, with the Betting and Gaming Council claiming that 28% of bettors could consider illegal gambling websites if taxes on licensed operators rise further.
The taskforce is expected to support cross-sector working between public and private organizations to improve disruption efforts and strengthen information sharing, and will work together to improve “cross-agency collaboration and enforcement work regarding illegal remote and land-based gambling."
The government is making it clear that the taskforce will be a key player in tackling the issue of illegal gambling, and that it will work closely with other organizations to improve enforcement efforts and disrupt the black market.
As the taskforce gets to work, it will be a crucial test of the government's commitment to tackling the complex issue of illegal gambling, and will be closely watched by the industry and the public alike.
