UK online gambling companies fail to contribute to program

UK online gambling companies fail to contribute to program Two thirds of the gambling companies in the U.K. have failed to contribute to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust, finger pointed at the online gambling companies. "It's the online gamblers on the whole who are not contributing. It's difficult to get money out of these people - some of them are operating from overseas," Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster was quoted. And even though the Responsibility in Gambling Trust reached its goal by collecting £3.6 million, only 1,000 out of the 3,200 gambling licensees have donated money to the trust. But the trust says the money came mainly from the larger companies, such as the big high street betting firms and casino operators, with small betting firms and online gambling companies failing to donate to the program.

The Responsibility in Gambling Trust was created by the U.K. gambling industry to voluntary collect donations from the gambling companies and the money is used to treat problem gamblers and to fund research into gambling addiction. But the lack of participation from most of the gambling firms led to Culture Secretary Andy Burnham warning in February that licensed gambling operators would face a statutory levy unless they came up with more cash for the trust. The Gambling Commission is currently reviewing the effectiveness and level of the current voluntary arrangements for the gambling industry's funding for gambling research, treatment and public education. Its findings will be taken into account by the British Department of Culture, Media and Sport and will affect the likelihood of a compulsory levy on the gambling firms operating in the country.

Published on 04/26/2008