With operations due to commence in the third quarter of next year to give
life to Britain’s liberalised gambling reforms, the Gambling Commission has
clearly been kept busy checking out the initial batch of license applicants,
reporting this week that 29 companies had been successful in clearing the
first hurdles in a thorough and probing process. Casino operators now face
the second test for their applications – gaining approval from local
authorities, which will often refuse a license if it is proved that there is
no local demand. Reuters reports that the applications constitute around
half of those submitted, the remainder still being in the initial process.
Whether any of the applicants were from Internet gaming companies was not
clear. The rush came ahead of new legislation to open up and regulate the
gambling industry from 2007, which will initially limit the number of future
new casinos to 17, including one Las Vegas-style supercasino.