LONDON (AFX) - Online casino and poker adverts that break the law face prosecution, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport Tessa Jowell told the British Casino Association AGM today.
Jowell acknowledged concerns over the increase in potentially illegal advertising by online gambling operators, and said action would be taken against advertisers and publishers if adverts continued to cross the line.
'It's clear that some adverts have been breaking the existing law. 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.
'We will issue them with new guidance and I am putting them on notice that we won't hesitate to ask the Crown Prosecution Service to act.'
She also said that subject to consultation, no further applications for certificates of consent for new casino licences should be allowed after April 2006.
'We have made it clear throughout this process that we want to avoid proliferation in the number of smaller casinos.'
Online casino and poker rooms currently operate offshore but the Gambling Act 2005 will enable them to operate from Great Britain for the first time.
Jowell acknowledged concerns over the increase in potentially illegal advertising by online gambling operators, and said action would be taken against advertisers and publishers if adverts continued to cross the line.
'It's clear that some adverts have been breaking the existing law. 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.
'We will issue them with new guidance and I am putting them on notice that we won't hesitate to ask the Crown Prosecution Service to act.'
She also said that subject to consultation, no further applications for certificates of consent for new casino licences should be allowed after April 2006.
'We have made it clear throughout this process that we want to avoid proliferation in the number of smaller casinos.'
Online casino and poker rooms currently operate offshore but the Gambling Act 2005 will enable them to operate from Great Britain for the first time.