Parliament has published plans of Great Britain’s overhauled gambling bill. From BBC News, courtesy of David McDowell:
The new law, if approved by Parliament, will allow casinos with up to 1,250 slot machines and unlimited jackpots.It would ban slot machines from fast food outlets and minicab offices, restrict internet gaming and introduce a new industry regulator.
But opponents, including the Salvation Army, say the bill will lead to an explosion in problem gambling.
Some points of the bill:
– Casinos open 24 hours– Immediate access for public, no 24-hour joining period
– Unlimited jackpots in largest casinos
– Betting allowed on Good Friday and Christmas Day
– A new criminal offence of inviting, permitting or causing a child to gamble
– Compulsory age checks by gambling websites operating from the UK
– Mystery shopper surveys by the Gambling Commission to check rules followed
– Tighter restrictions on betting exchanges
– Allowing casinos to advertise for first time
Will Britain become the “Las Vegas of Europe?” Will more scholars follow Sir Professor Peter Hall’s example and read Suburban Xanadu to get some insight into the trajectory of the industry in the United States? Will anyone go to British casino buffets? Only time will tell.