Britain’s gambling laws are going to be overhauled in a big way. The gambling white paper, which has been awaited since 2020, sets out government proposals to better regulate the online gambling sector. The idea is to make online gambling “fit for the digital age.”

Campaigners for the new piece of legislation wish to include checks for the introduction of a statutory levy on the operators for research and education on gambling addiction, among other things. Some are also hoping the new rules to feature a reduction in stakes for online slot games to match the limits found in physical gambling establishments and casinos.

It’s also expected that the government will be creating a gambling ombudsman to deal with customer complaints.

Under these new rules, the biggest changes will be that under-25s will be banned from betting more than £2 per spin on online slot machines. Also, firms will be needed to pay for NHS care for addicts.

Expected proposals include:

1.  1% mandatory levy on industry revenues.

2.  Online slot machine stakes are limited to between £2 and £15, with young people in the bracket of 18 to 24 years expected to have a £2 limit.

3.  Measures to slow down online casino games.

4.  Looser restrictions for land-based casinos.

5.  Government-run safer gambling campaigns.

6.   Light-touch” affordability checks.

There is going to be some delay, however. Reports suggest that most of the measures including stake limits and free bets or promotions are subject to further consultation. These changes might take as long as next summer to implement, though the government launched the gambling review in December 2020.

The upcoming white paper on the regulations has been delayed mainly due to subsequent ministerial changes.

Culture secretary Lucy Frazer wrote in The Times, “British punters spend almost £10 billion a year on online casino games, sports betting, online betting platform and other forms of commercial gambling. Our phones have opened up a digital wonderland where everyone can access a maze of flashing slot machines, virtual races, and blackjack tables. That's why the government is committed to an overhaul of the rules with an approach centred on balance: to protect the most vulnerable, but not get in the way of the majority of people who want to have a flutter."

Targeting the power balance between the punters and the operators of these online casinos, the upcoming white paper will protect children and focus on funding research on the prevention of gambling addiction and problem gambling in the future.

As per a Mirror poll, 58% of people believe that gambling advertising and sponsorship should also be banned, especially in football. Though there is no hint that this is going to happen, the Premier League has announced a ban from its side to ban gambling sponsorship from the front of match day shirts in a welcome step. Currently, eight Premier League clubs have a gambling firm as their main sponsor.

Already delayed four times since 2020, the gambling shake-up is something everyone is eagerly waiting for as it can completely transform the way online gambling happens in the UK.