Are UK web casino firms planning for US drive?
Posted by Sarah Banks on 12 Aug 2009 at 10:08
The decision by some British gaming companies to move online operations abroad could be linked to the American market, according to commentators.
New Online Casinos says that the moves to Gibraltar by William Hill and Ladbrokes could be a way of planning for a move on the US.
America is currently debating the idea of overhauling laws brought in during the Bush administration which effectively banned online gambling in America.
The site says William Hill and Ladbrokes have minimised their tax payout by moving to Gibraltar and could sidestep charges which may be brought in when America does re-introduce gambling.
Both Ladbrokes and William Hill pay 15 per cent tax on their internet gaming. This will drop to 1.5 per cent when they set up in Gibraltar, and the savings could be used to purchase US licences, according to the site.
Two separate legislation changes have been proposed which would permit some internet gambling in America.
In particular one bill by Barney Frank would totally overhaul America's anti-web gambling laws.
His proposals involve the scrapping of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and would introduce regulation and enforcement for online gambling.
