A special parliamentary committee examining a draft gambling bill said the government should proceed more cautiously with deregulation of UK's ₤40 billion gambling industry.

British MPs discuss gambling draft bill

England's Joint Scrutiny Committee for the draft Gambling Bill delivered on Wednesday a 306-page report to Parliament. Despite of 139 suggestions made to improve the bill, the Committee said the bill does not contain major flaws and urged the government to ratify the bill as soon as possible. The Committee released the report after examining the draft bill on gambling published in several sets in 2003 and 2004, taking written evidence from 170 parties with an interest in the bill and holding 17 sessions to hear oral evidence.The draft contains provisions on regulating remote gaming and administering licenses to remote gambling operators. One of the committee's major concerns was the regulation of betting exchanges. The committee suggested that the government should create new laws to regulate punters that use betting exchanges professionally. UK gambling legislation is antiquated and has been adopted as far back as in 1960's. Apart from restricting the volume of payouts on fruit machines, the 1968 Gambling Act contains strict provisions regulating the location of casinos, their working hours and their use for purposes other than gambling. The new draft bill is expected to include the latest developments in the industry. According to the report the new gambling bill may increase the number of gambling addicts in the United Kingdom. "We also recommend a cap on the number of Las Vegas-style slot machines which a casino can install and propose restricting larger 'resort' casinos to areas where they can bring regeneration, such as ailing seaside towns," the report reads.The bill is expected to stir much controversy with the industry players. "We will consider their recommendations very carefully and remain keen to bring the bill back before Parliament as soon as we can," said Tessa Jowell, Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport.Casino operators which offer support for Internet, mobile communication or interactive TV gambling are expected to be licensed and regulated properly for the first time under the bill.The draft stipulates that gambling premises must cover at least 5,000 square feet (464 sq metres) which could affect low-scale offline or land-based casinos.The report aimed to introduce a code of social responsibility for Internet gaming companies and recommended the government to immediately begin consulting with parties in the industry.Concerns were also voiced that the blanket ban on fruit machines in fish-and-chip shops and taxi offices could stifle casinos with limited capital.Big casino chains such as the Gala Group, said the report was good for both the consumer and the industry, but the definition of big and small casinos is still subjective. In a statement Gala requested the government to clarify parts of the original bill in regards to planning, the definitions of large and resort casinos, and the meaning of 'cultural facilities' at large and resort casinos."So critical were aspects of the report produced by 16 MPs and peers whose joint committee scrutinised the draft bill that some fear the cabinet will take fright and postpone legislation from this autumn until after next summer's likely general election," concluded an articled published by Guardian.