The casino review specialist reveals it causes problems for punters and licensed venues alike.
-- Illegal casinos are operating “in plain sight” in London’s West End, according to the Hippodrome, reports Casinos.com.
Land-Based Illegal Operations a Growing Concern in the Capital
Licensed operators say high taxes and regulatory burdens disadvantage compliant venues
Focus turns from online black market to alleged physical venues in central London
The Hippodrome Casino has warned that illegal land-based casinos are operating “in plain sight” in the heart of London’s West End and across Great Britain are creating what it says is a growing competitive imbalance between licensed and unregulated venues.
A spokesperson for the Leicester Square establishment told Casinos.com:
“For us, the issue is less about unlicensed online casinos and more about illegal land-based casinos operating in plain sight in the heart of London’s West End and across Great Britain.”
The spokesperson said high taxation and stringent compliance rules mean licensed venues face significantly higher operating costs than illegal competitors.
“High rates of taxation and high regulatory requirements confer a huge competitive advantage on unlicensed operators.”
Licensed casinos are required to carry out affordability checks, anti-money laundering procedures and safer gambling monitoring. Illegal venues, by contrast, are not bound by those obligations.
“Some of the regulations by which we are bound are not very customer-centric,” the spokesperson added. “Illegal casinos do not have any compliance requirements, so they do not have to push their customers for information and track their play, and this can be another form of competitive advantage.”
The warning shifts focus away from online black-market gambling, which has dominated recent political debate, and toward physical venues allegedly operating within Britain’s most high-profile entertainment district.
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