The DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) has announced on their website that they will plan to amend the UK Gambling Act of 2005.
The amendments are due to be made so that that the UK Gambling Commission can be able to share suspicious gambling activity with the International Olympic Committee as well as other sports governing bodies.
At present, the UK Gambling Act only permits the Gambling Commission to communicate with organisations that have been named with the UK Gambling Act of 2005 itself. The proposed amendments will look to add the International Olympic Committee to the Act as well as other athletic governing bodies.
A spokesperson from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated that “the changes will strengthen the ability of the IOC to receive and share information should any threats to betting integrity arise during the course of the Games”. The statement also said that the amendments will “ensure system of best practice in the UK from which others can learn”.
The statement finally went on to say that “the Government proposes to add both international and national Sports Governing Bodies to parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 6 to better reflect the sports bodies that the Gambling Commission deals with on a regular basis, and to ensure the coverage of the main sports and major sporting events in the UK”.
This comes of the back of the DCMS announcing last month that online gambling firms trading in the UK will be subject to new legislation in the form of a British license. The new law would target offshore gambling companies advertising in the UK. They would be subject to a license fee and some tax.