Online Casinos exit UK despite Sports League concerns

Sports Leagues have raised serious concerns over the relocation of major sports books and online casinos to areas outside the UK. The cry comes amid plans for major names such as William Hill and Ladbrokes to move their central bases abroad. Companies are now working to seek new bases in countries such as Gibraltar in an attempt to bypass UK taxes which cost ten times the price of those offshore.

Leagues are claiming, however, that the UK location is essential as it binds companies to the scruples of UK regulations which enforce the disclosure of data and the publication of any suspicious gaming activity. Leagues are now claiming that online games will be susceptible to corruption once outside the remits of the UK model. The English Football Association claims that UK rules have a track record of tackling previous offenders in the past. UK regulations facilitated the suspension of four players proven to be participating in improper gaming activity online. By contrast, no such cooperation from operators can be guaranteed offshore.
Gaming experts are, however, anxious to reassure players that it is in the operators' best interest to take regulation seriously.

Tom O'Shannon has been a gambler for many years and claims "The main target of fixing is the book, who stands to take a loss if criminals bet heavily on a match that's fixed". He went on to say that it is crucial for operators' to be on their guard about any suspicious or untoward online activity and added "The book wants clean games because players won't bet if they suspect results are not honest".