09-08-2007 Gambling sites operating outside the EEA banned from advertising in the UK

Effective September 1, gambling websites based in Antigua, Costa Rica, Kahnawake, Curacao and Belize will be automatically barred from advertising in the UK.

The Gambling Act 2005, which comes into force next month, establishes that only companies operating within the European Economic Area will be allowed to advertise in the UK. Jurisdictions falling outside of the EEA who want to be exempt from the ad ban have to pass a stringent assessment of their regulatory standards. So far only Alderney and the Isle of Man have met the white listing criteria demanded by the Gambling Act.

UK Culture Minister James Purnell stated: "I make no apology for banning adverts for websites operating from places that don’t meet our strict standards. Protection is my number one priority. The fact that only Alderney and the Isle of Man have been able to meet the high standards demanded by our white listing criteria shows how tough the Gambling Act is. Indeed white listing has actually helped drive up regulatory standards in some countries."