Gambling Review White Paper update

[Crazyskier]

The only people who have a right to know about my financial affairs are HMRC.

Whatever money I have, I should be free to spend it in whatever way I wish.

Do the Tories not advocate that the individual knows best when it comes to spending? Apparently not!

If I choose to spend £20k on a car, does the dealer have to prove I can afford to spend £20k on a car? Of course not.

They're trying to brainwash us into thinking some form of checks are okay - no checks are okay!

Is this going to stop the 3 people in 1,000 who have a gambling problem? No! They will find a way to blow their money. All they need to do is spend an hour in each of the bookies shops in the town centre filling up the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

No one wants to see anyone harmed from gambling but education is the way forward - not infringing on the civil liberties of the majority.

The vast majority of problem gamblers will be addicted to the online casinos . This is where the attention should be primarily focussed.

Nobody is asking about your financial affairs unless you want to use their service. You give up your name and address when you sign up to these sites and provide documents for KYC checks before you're allowed to bet, does that bother you? Do you approve of these measures or do you think fraudsters should be able to money launder through these sites without identity checks?

Checks are a fact of life. Making an offer on a house....need to show estate agents you can afford it. Buying a house even in cash...need to prove where money has come from for conveyancing. Renting....need to send numerous id, statements, proof of income.

Don't disagree with the 2nd part of your post

Some people may prefer to spend £2k a year on holidays, other may prefer to spend £2k a year on betting. No one is going to stop the person from going on holiday.

Educate people to become personally responsible - that's the answer.

For example: after 10 minutes on a FOBT, a notice should come up on the screen to say that if you continue to bet at these levels you are likely to lose £x in the next hour. Make the user accepts this before continuing.

The problem with these car / holiday analogies, is that while we all agree that they are equally valid in terms of individual choice in spending one's money, they do not prove addictive in the same way as gambling does to some. You very rarely hear of relationships breaking down or people taking their own lives due to cars or holidays. We have to address this HUGE problem with young men in particular seeing the many TV adverts and sports shirt sponsorship that glamourises gambling and lures them in meaning they are spending money they simply can't afford to lose in many tragic cases.

While there is bound to be some fallout for those who can and do control their habits, something has to be done to address this predatory behaviour exhibited for years by the shameless bookies chasing profits at the cost in some extremes of human lives.

CS

[Derek27]

The problem with these car / holiday analogies, is that while we all agree that they are equally valid in terms of individual choice in spending one's money, they do not prove addictive in the same way as gambling does to some. You very rarely hear of relationships breaking down or people taking their own lives due to cars or holidays.

You may not hear about it but I'm sure it happens. One half of the couple being prudent, the other splashing out, getting into debt, mortgage arrears, repossession...

[Michael5482]

Nobody is asking about your financial affairs unless you want to use their service. You give up your name and address when you sign up to these sites and provide documents for KYC checks before you're allowed to bet, does that bother you? Do you approve of these measures or do you think fraudsters should be able to money launder through these sites without identity checks?

Checks are a fact of life. Making an offer on a house....need to show estate agents you can afford it. Buying a house even in cash...need to prove where money has come from for conveyancing. Renting....need to send numerous id, statements, proof of income.

Don't disagree with the 2nd part of your post

Some people may prefer to spend £2k a year on holidays, other may prefer to spend £2k a year on betting. No one is going to stop the person from going on holiday.

Educate people to become personally responsible - that's the answer.

For example: after 10 minutes on a FOBT, a notice should come up on the screen to say that if you continue to bet at these levels you are likely to lose £x in the next hour. Make the user accepts this before continuing.

The problem with these car / holiday analogies, is that while we all agree that they are equally valid in terms of individual choice in spending one's money, they do not prove addictive in the same way as gambling does to some. You very rarely hear of relationships breaking down or people taking their own lives due to cars or holidays. We have to address this HUGE problem with young men in particular seeing the many TV adverts and sports shirt sponsorship that glamourises gambling and lures them in meaning they are spending money they simply can't afford to lose in many tragic cases.

While there is bound to be some fallout for those who can and do control their habits, something has to be done to address this predatory behaviour exhibited for years by the shameless bookies chasing profits at the cost in some extremes of human lives.

CS

One of the main answers is education starting at school there should be a subject on life/learning in general where kids all leave school qualified in first aid, learn to manage money, health, gambling harm those type of life skills that will serve them well going into adulthood.

Youngster's are actually turning away from gambling and gambling harm in the UK is very very low, yes there's tragic cases but these shouldn't be used for legislation as the saying goes extreme examples don't make for good legislation. The Government are way of the mark with these proposals. Personally I'd of like to of seen a full ban on all fixed odds terminals, spins, scratch cards etc that would of been a good place to start.

[WisdomOfCrowds]

I couldn't agree more regarding schools properly preparing people for life.

I also agree extreme examples don't make for good law.

I would be very interested to see what evidence the government has to show that any forms of checks will reduce the 0.3% of problem gambling.

I suspect it will have more chance of messing up the horse racing industry, cause people to lose their jobs, and destroy the fun so many get from betting as checks will drive them away.

Answer: Encourage those who need help to seek it whilst leaving everyone else well alone.

[jamesedwards]

You can't replace you're stolen dog or gifts left to you by your grandparents. But perhaps a better example would be: imagine somebody hacked into your email and was quietly reading all your personal and private emails for the last two years. You wouldn't know about it but you'd be furious if you found out!

Prepare to be furious - it's already happening to you now. Check your credit file and you'll find countless soft searches for everything from insurance quotations to subscription services.

[jamesedwards]

One thing going under the radar is the turnover levy, if that goes through then UK racing will be a no go just like NSW is for traders.

I can imagine it now, Will Rogers Downs matched £500k

The proposed turnover levy is on Gross Gambling Yield which is like a bookmakers gross profits before costs. It's not turnover on stakes like the old 10% betting duty.

[Naffman]

One thing going under the radar is the turnover levy, if that goes through then UK racing will be a no go just like NSW is for traders.

I can imagine it now, Will Rogers Downs matched £500k

The proposed turnover levy is on Gross Gambling Yield which is like a bookmakers gross profits before costs. It's not turnover on stakes like the old 10% betting duty.

Thanks for that, so if that's the case I can see them raising commission and bookies increasing their overround but definitely a lot better than a turnover charge model.

[Derek27]

You can't replace you're stolen dog or gifts left to you by your grandparents. But perhaps a better example would be: imagine somebody hacked into your email and was quietly reading all your personal and private emails for the last two years. You wouldn't know about it but you'd be furious if you found out!

Prepare to be furious - it's already happening to you now. Check your credit file and you'll find countless soft searches for everything from insurance quotations to subscription services.

I don't often check my credit file but the last time I did, all I found were soft searches by the credit agency itself. I'll take another look tonight.

[xtrader16]

Nobody is asking about your financial affairs unless you want to use their service. You give up your name and address when you sign up to these sites and provide documents for KYC checks before you're allowed to bet, does that bother you? Do you approve of these measures or do you think fraudsters should be able to money launder through these sites without identity checks?

Checks are a fact of life. Making an offer on a house....need to show estate agents you can afford it. Buying a house even in cash...need to prove where money has come from for conveyancing. Renting....need to send numerous id, statements, proof of income.

Don't disagree with the 2nd part of your post


It is truly alarming to me that there are people out there with opinions like this. More than happy for the Government to control every aspect of their lives without question. Imagine thinking like this...

[BFDon]

Nobody is asking about your financial affairs unless you want to use their service. You give up your name and address when you sign up to these sites and provide documents for KYC checks before you're allowed to bet, does that bother you? Do you approve of these measures or do you think fraudsters should be able to money launder through these sites without identity checks?

Checks are a fact of life. Making an offer on a house....need to show estate agents you can afford it. Buying a house even in cash...need to prove where money has come from for conveyancing. Renting....need to send numerous id, statements, proof of income.

Don't disagree with the 2nd part of your post


It is truly alarming to me that there are people out there with opinions like this. More than happy for the Government to control every aspect of their lives without question. Imagine thinking like this...

Bizarre response, not sure how adding gambling companies to banks, mortgage providers, employers, utility companies, mobile phone companies, estate agents, insurance companies who already view your credit report is akin to Government controlling every aspect of my life. Like me suggesting you believe everything in life should be deregulated, perhaps you do?

[MaxLiability]

You can't replace you're stolen dog or gifts left to you by your grandparents. But perhaps a better example would be: imagine somebody hacked into your email and was quietly reading all your personal and private emails for the last two years. You wouldn't know about it but you'd be furious if you found out!

Pretty sure google and every other email provider have been doing that for decades as part of their data gathering

[Derek27]

You can't replace you're stolen dog or gifts left to you by your grandparents. But perhaps a better example would be: imagine somebody hacked into your email and was quietly reading all your personal and private emails for the last two years. You wouldn't know about it but you'd be furious if you found out!

Pretty sure google and every other email provider have been doing that for decades as part of their data gathering

They won't be reading emails. I doubt anyone at Google would want to know I'm catching the 16:30 to London.

[The Silk Run]

Personally, I cannot see what all the fuss is about

[jamesedwards]

Personally, I cannot see what all the fuss is about

Absolutely.

Considering a big shake-up was always coming (and the doomsday scenario this might have created), this seems a reasonable and pragmatic approach. Unless you own a tin-foil hat, of course.

[wearthefoxhat]

I sometimes do the Lotto on-line.

Noticed that there was a message for the first time saying you have spent £x and have £x left to spend.

spend & play.png

Maybe on-line casinos (regulated) will have to do something similar going forward.