Methodist Church Welcomes New Rules on Gambling Advertising

The Methodist Church has welcomed last week's announcement from the Government to ban gambling companies operating in countries outside the European Economic Area from advertising in the UK.

The planned regulations could make it impossible for around 1,000 gambling websites operating in "non-white listed jurisdictions" - where regulations fall below UK standards - to advertise in the UK when the Gambling Act 2005 comes into force on 1 September.

Alison Jackson, the Methodist Church's Secretary for Parliamentary and Political Affairs, welcomed the Government's "tough line", warning that internet gambling was "growing fast" and that there was a "high risk" of people playing online becoming addicted to gambling.

"Play is continuous and repetitive; it takes place in your own home without any outside distractions, and stakes are made by credit card, making it easy to lose track of how much you have lost," she said.

"We support the Government's wish to get international agreement in the regulation of internet gambling; this move should contribute to that.

"While we do not want to see more gambling advertising, such sites will continue to operate and be accessed by people in the UK. They should be properly regulated."

Ms Jackson encouraged other jurisdictions to follow the example of the Isle of Man, one of the only places that have managed to meet the Government's white listing criteria.