In this article today I will be discussing a rather interesting question that recently came up to me on one of the online forums. The question was, will UKGC ever close casinos that are not registered with gamstop? Before I answer the question, it must be said that there are a few main points in the question that also need to be answered.
First of all, I will need to talk about UKGC and what gamstop is. Secondly, I will also need to talk about the possible reasons why the UKGC would ever want to close casinos that are not registered with gamstop. Finally, I will move on to answering the main question. This will be an interesting article, and for those who are looking for my answers, keep reading to find out more!
UKGC and Gamestop
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the main regulatory body in the UK for all online casinos. They are the ones who issue licenses and allow online casinos outside the UK that want to be registered as UK companies. gamstop is a self-exclusion scheme developed by the government that prevents registered users from accessing online casino sites that are registered and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
Players must be voluntarily enrolled in this program and they can then decide for how long they want to be banned from gamstop online casino sites. While this seems like a good initiative for avid gamblers, it's not exactly ideal for casual or light gamblers who can control their gambling habits. In addition, there are ways to bypass gamstop, which allows problem players to bypass these restrictions.
Will close UKGC casinos not registered with gamstop
My answer to this question is an emphatic no. This means that I don't think the UKGC will ever ban online casino sites that are not registered with the UKGC from operating in the UK. My thoughts arise for several reasons. First of all, the UKGC does not oversee the internet and therefore cannot determine which sites should be banned from the UK internet.
Secondly, UKGC does not have jurisdiction over online casinos that are registered with foreign regulators such as Malta or elsewhere.
That being said, they are not legally allowed to require the closure of these online casino sites. Thirdly, even in the UK there are licensed online casinos that are not registered with gamstop, but these casinos continue to operate in the UK.
This shows how seriously the UKGC takes gamstop registration requirements. Fourth, the UKGC relies on the issuance of online casino licenses to generate revenue. The closure of a casino that is not registered with gamstop may have a negative impact on their reputation and therefore lead to a decrease in revenue.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I gave my opinion on why I think that the UKGC will not close casinos that are not registered with gamstop. Ultimately, the UKGC needs to play a larger role in ensuring that online casinos in the UK comply with this requirement before they have moral grounds to require similar compliance from foreign online casinos.
However, the fact that they rely on the issuance of licenses by these foreign online casinos will be counterproductive in their quest to ensure compliance, as most online casinos do not want to be regulated. Without such enforcement, gamstop will at best be a white elephant that cannot really prevent players from accessing alternative sites that are not registered with gamstop.
As this continues, the social problem of problem players will always be an eternal problem that is difficult to solve.
Message Will UKGC close casinos not registered with gamstop? first appeared in Top Casinos for UK Players.