The British government has announced plans to host an international summit on Internet gambling later this year. The goal is to bring regulators and policymakers from around the world together in the hopes of finding common ground and possible solutions to shared problems with what is really a global phenomenon.
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"This is a global problem and requires a global solution, which is why this summit is important."
- Tessa Jowell
DCMS
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Among the issues that are certain to be at the forefront of discussion are the needs to protect children from gambling online, to prevent money laundering, to ensure consistent and coherent advertising standards and to prevent criminal infiltration.
"This is a global problem and requires a global solution, which is why this summit is important," Tessa Jowell, secretary for the U.K. Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), explained.
The DCMS is responsible for organizing the summit and is still in the very early stages of planning. No dates have been settled upon, but DCMS spokesperson Anthony Wright said it will probably take place in late 2006.
The format of the summit has not been established either; while members of government will certainly be invited, it remains to be seen whether I-gaming companies or legal experts will be permitted to participate as well. "We haven't decided whether we want to reach out the industry or not," Wright said. "At the moment, the main target is the political side of things. It's really about getting a political discussion going."
Wright confirmed that representatives from all countries and jurisdictions in attendance will be invited to share their views on matters. "It will be an open discussion, and we would welcome different views," he said. "We have taken the view here that regulation is the answer, and we don't think prohibition is. Other areas have different views than us. We think frankly that it's good to talk."
Formal invitations have not yet been offered, but the Financial Times and Reuters report that the governments of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have responded very favorably to news of the summit.