British Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport Tessa Jowell is not pleased with the advertising practices of many offshore Internet gambling operators, and last week she issued a stern warning to those involved in illegal advertising activities.
Online operators can advertise in England, but under current law, they are not permitted to include inducements or incentives, such as free entry or sign-up bonuses, in their advertisements. Some of them have apparently crossed the line by doing just that, however, and Jowell says the violators will face prosecution.
Until England's Gambling Act comes into full effect in September 2007, online casino and poker room operators cannot base their services in the United Kingdom. The offenders to which Jowell is referring are, therefore, operating from offshore locations. That makes them immune to British law, but the U.K.-based businesses responsible for the production and displaying of the ads, she said, are to be held accountable.
To avoid any future confusion, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), which promotes and supports leisure and gaming activities in the United Kingdom (in conjunction with the Gambling Commission), has promised to send letters to advertising, publishing and gambling companies reiterating the law and stating that violations will not be tolerated. If convicted, these companies face up to £5,000 in fines or two years in prison.
Jowell made the announcement in an address to the British Casino Association at its annual meeting.
"It's clear that some adverts have been breaking the existing law," she said. "I am not willing to turn a blind eye to this and have agreed with the Gambling Commission that we should crack down on advertisers and publishers who knowingly break the law."