The UK Gambling Commission is investigating allegations that Conservative Party members bet on the date of the general election, with potential breaches of the Gambling Act having occurred, according to reports. Several Conservative candidates are said to be under scrutiny, including Craig Williams, a close aide of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Laura Saunders, the party’s parliamentary candidate in Bristol North West. UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak stated that the party was carrying out internal investigations simultaneously with the Gambling Commission’s inquiries. Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland Secretary, stated that the inquiry must be allowed to proceed and that those involved should not be deemed guilty until the matter is settled.
Leaders of opposing political parties have criticised the government and called for action to be taken against those found to breach regulations. Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, said that if those involved were Labour candidates, they would no longer be standing. Tobias Elwood, a Conservative from Bournemouth East, commented that, given the scale of the matter, candidates under scrutiny should be removed. Pat McFadden, Labour’s election coordinator, and Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, have similarly called for more transparency regarding those under investigation.
Companies are also seeking greater regulation of gambling advertising, with the Labour Party having pledged to ban gambling advertisements on football shirts. The UK Gambling Commission has recently updated its online advertising rules for online casinos and bingo sites, requiring firms to provide customers with ‘fair and transparent’ information about offers and promotions. Additionally, the commission has implemented new customer identity and age verification regulations, which online casinos must adhere to, in order to prevent those who are underage from gambling
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