In the past 5 years Internet Gambling has more than doubled! This is according to an independent research review published by the Department of Culture Media Sport.

The research was organised ahead of the 1st ever online gambling summit, hosted by Great Britain at Royal Ascot today. The summit will seek to secure international standards for the regulation of online, interactive TV and mobile phone gambling.

The research shows:
> there are nearly 1,000,000 regular online gamblers in Britain alone;
> they make up nearly one-third of Europe’s 3.3 million regular online gamblers;
> Europe’s regular gamblers stake approximately £3.5 bn pounds a year - an average of £1000 each;
> there are now 2,300 sites across the world. A large number of these are based in a few key nations, with Antigua (537) top of the pile and Costa Rica in second with 474;
> the UK currently has 70 online betting sites, but no gaming (poker, blackjack, roulette etc) sites;
> women are becoming increasingly important in the remote gambling market. During the World Cup about 30% of those visiting key UK based betting websites were women.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Tessa Jowell said
“This research shows that online gambling is on the rise and there is a need to do something about this at a global level, as well as in the UK. I want to secure international support for agreed standards of regulation. That’s why I called the summit today.

“Of course we also want online gambling companies to come onshore. We will welcome them here because we believe that by allowing those who want to gamble to do so over the counter, not under the counter is the best way to protect children and vulnerable people and keep out crime.

“But we won’t take part in a regulatory race to the bottom. On the contrary, if companies do come to the UK it will be because ‘regulated in the Great Britain’ will mean a website is subject to the most stringent controls and social responsibility requirements anywhere in the world. ”

The research was conducted prior to the U.S. decision to ban the processing of payments for online gambling websites. It makes three recommendations:
> Greater international co operation including harmonised regulations to curb problem and youth gambling;
> Co operation with the gambling industry; and
> More research into the extent of participation in remote gambling