Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
Over the last week or so I have been receiving emails from poker firms saying that there are new online gambling laws coming for the UK.I have had emails from Mansion and Titan and a couple of Playtech casinos and it seems Titan are taking over UK customers. Lately I only play at Party,Coral,Mybet and William Hill but have not heard from any of them yet. Does anyone know what these new laws are or if it is likely to have any affect on the main poker sites?thanks.
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 5712
It's something to do with dual regulation, ie in the place the site is situated and also in uk, and also a 15% tax on gambling bets at the point of consumption! I've on the bet not the winnings! however there are some legal challenges into the validity of the proposals, so watch this space!
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
So. UK wants a bit more from the pie now huh? Politicians. Probably this will have affect in most of the sites. If you imagine that many sites are located and licenced in Gibraltar, then the new measures will hit most of them.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
If the UK segregates as well, it's the end of decent online poker. Especially for smaller poker-countries like Australia - if we end up on our own, there's going to be no action at all.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
Thanks guys. So far it seems only the sites with a non UK internet domains have sent emails,the big UK sites like Coral and William Hill have not said anything.Also not heard from the big independent poker sites so maybe it is more to do with overseas casino based businesses but not entirely sure. Hopefully it won't affect the poker for UK players,really not bothered about casinos,but would love to hear if anyone knows anything more.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
I had a look around also today. Couldnt find any relevant information about this. Before you see an official UK announcement, probably the sites that have sent you the emails already will be your only source for more news. Try sending them an email asking about it.
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 5712
I'm not convinced this will make a major difference to poker sites or any other internet gambling, other than it may hit the smaller sites harder, as the business is too lucrative for any government to want to destroy it so I am sure it will have been carefully thought out to gain maximum return in taxes while making little impact to the revenue that exists within poker at the moment.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
I spoke to someone from Winner and they seem to think it will not make much,if any,difference to the players and should not affect poker at all but she did not seem to know much about it apart from the casino now has a .UK domain for UK customers. I do not think it is going to be like when Spain and France stopped allowing play at foreign sites but more regulations for the gambling site to adhere to. I have noticed that some ipoker firms have transferred players to titanbet.uk so maybe that will affect players with lots of accounts. An email from Mansion poker says as follows;Dear Amy, Due to changing regulations regarding online gaming in the United Kingdom, we must inform you that Mansion Poker is required to close its doors to UK players on September 15th, 2014. As a result, we kindly request that you withdraw any and all funds you have in your Mansion Poker account. We have found an exceptional gaming alternative for you: Titanbet.co.uk. You are invited to join this new reliable and secure brand for continued online poker enjoyment. At Titanbet Poker you will continue to play the fast-paced tournaments and cash games of the iPoker Network, and you will feel comfortable with the familiar features of the software. If you are a UK player probably best to check your emails linked to any account where you may have cash.
Joined: May '13
Location: Mauritius
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 2688
Yeah whether there will be a tax increase on gambling in the UK< i don't think it will affect the market much if the bookies, poker sites will pay the tax instead of passing it up to the customers which if done could result in losing clients, so if you are into gambling go to UK as they have laws against illegal gambling and can go after bookies if they do not pay, that is why the UK making money, taxing gambling and so on, and nice way to get money in their system and then use it again to develop the UK!
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
If you have money in these sites you better get screenshots of your money if you have any in. Cause after the merge you dont know what it can happen. They will leave you with one account of course and the money should add up. Not to mention that you probably will lose points and tokens.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
There are quite a few sites that are merging to titanbet.uk so if anyone does have cash in any sites that are merging it is probably wise to get in touch with support or most probably the better option is to withdraw. Titan and other firms like winner are also merging their poker,casino,bingo etc into just one platform,they do say that all bets will still be valid and all cash will be lumped together. Sites I have heard about that are merging or changing terms are Winner,poker770(with netbet),mansion and vegas red.If you know of anymore just add to the list. Just to make clear,this is only valid for UK customers.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
Just to add some further info. Go Wild casino is now moving UK accounts to 32redcasino,stating all balances,bonuses and loyalty points will now be in effect at 32red.I don't know what happens if you have valid bonuses at both these accounts.This is an automatic merger and they seem to have just assumed permission to give your details to another casino which surprised me but as far as I know 32red is one of the better casinos.This merger happens tomorrow(10th sept) so they have not given much time to close your account if you do not want to join 32red or if you were planning on withdrawing any Go Wild balances.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
They are moving way too fast with these merges, not actually giving you any options, withwith late notices. Makes me wonder, what is that they know, and they move with such speeds. Weird....
Joined: Mar '11
Location: Hungary
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 153
Here in Hungary we have total legislation chaos over whole gambling industry with only one legal bookmaker without poker and still no chance to sites outside the country to get a legal licence but there websites blocked by internet providers now unsuccessfully luckily.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
Yea, that is the so called "democracy". You are paying your interenet porovider to have a free access over the net, and then comes the government saying, you cant see this, you cant play there..... and so on. Unfortunately the ISP blocking here in greece is working. Everytime i am trying to access a site that is blocked i get an error message, or a note from the ISP saying, according to the law....
