Operators Concerned Over UK Gambling Commission Filing System

The UK Gambling Commission has moved to reassure operators that its new online filing system is safe from prying eyes. Under new UK gambling laws, all offshore operators need to be registered and licensed with the regulatory body, and therefore need to submit sensitive information to the institution.

Gambling software license holders, as well as any online casinos in the UK, would be required to submit their documents through an online portal, rather than by electronic or paper form as they currently do. With the documentation containing sensitive information such as financial reports, revenue-sharing details, and customer details, concerns have been raised.

However, in a consultancy paper, the commission reassured operators, saying: “The Commission would reiterate that procedures are in place to ensure that data is stored securely with controls to prevent access. Our online system is encrypted and requires licensees to authenticate themselves before being able to submit and access their own data.”

With online and mobile casinos extremely popular in the UK, operators are still looking to enter the market, despite the new regulations, and the commission has also announced changes to the regulatory framework for remote operating licenses.

These changes come on the back of the introduction of a new point of consumption tax for UK operators. In an effort to clamp down on overseas operators, the UK government announced plans for a 15% tax, a move criticized by many within the industry. Gibraltar based William Hill has even threatened court action over the move.

The sportsbook believe that the move is against EU competition laws, yet other operators aren’t as strong in their wording, merely calling for the percentage to be reduced. Whatever the final decision, this is a time of major upheaval in the UK gambling market and beyond, and any changes will have major repercussions in the future.