Gambling news from http://www.panorama.gi/
The visit to Gibraltar of the UK gambling minister Richard Caborn must be placed in the context of the UK's declared aim to shake the online gambling world.
As published in PANORAMA on 22 June, the UK is to seek a code for offshore online gambling centres - and that includes Gibraltar.
UK culture minister Tessa Jowell says she hopes to persuade the offshore centres that are reaping the lion's share of the explosion in online gambling to sign up to new controls.
Hence, the visit of Mr Caborn was not a 'sightseeing' visit, as it may have been presented.
The plan is to encourage offshore centres to attend a summit in September precisely to set up international codes of practice.
All the main offshore centres are being invited plus the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation.
It smells a rat!
The aim is to put in place much tigher controls and regulations, no doubt given the fear that online gambling can lead to money laundering and other ills.
It remains to be seen if the UK proposals will meet with universal support, or if offshore centres will try to resist the imposition of tougher regulations that could put at risk their lucrative businesses.
And if there is no cooperation, what will the UK do?
When announcing the visit, the Gibraltar Government said that Mr Caborn had expressed interest in seeing how Gibraltar operates in its role as a leading global jurisdiction for on-line gambling.
"The visit also gives Gibraltar Government and industry players the opportunity to continue their lobby of the UK and other Governments in relation to online gambling access to their markets," said a statement.
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