Online Casinos Could Be Taxed by British Government

The British government has had an unsteady and changing stance on online casino gambling laws and regulations over the past few years. In 2025, many of the industry's most predominant players left for overseas jurisdictions in order to avoid the imposing of a new taxing system they feared, William Hill Casino and Ladbrokes among them. According to the latest, however, the British government could very well begin imposing a new online gambling structure, whereby foreign online casinos will have to apply for a license from the British Gambling Commission if they wish to continue offering their services to the country's residents. Should this new law be imposed, it will mean that certain games such as Poker may be taxed by the British government, and this possibility has already outraged many, from players to betting companies.

According to the recent announcement made by the Department for Culture, Media and Sports in the UK, the new law would create a fairer playing field for online casinos in the UK. However, those online casinos that were otherwise licensed by jurisdictions featured on the UK's white list – among them Malta, Isle of Man and Gibraltar – would this way be imposed with licensing requirements, regulatory standards and even taxes!

The British Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, has explicated that it would be "wrong" of the British government to stand down on the matter when surrounding countries such as Italy have made similar changes. Furthermore, he justified doing so with the argument that the changes made will be for the purpose of protecting British consumers, whom the government believe could otherwise fall victim to increased child and problem gambling.