Gambling has been a pastime in Britain for centuries. Our research found a legal framework that’s evolved in line with changing attitudes towards gambling, and some enduring themes that are just as relevant today as they were centuries ago. So, with change upon us, CardsChat took a trip back through the history of gambling in Britain to see how we got to where we are today. Last week, however, word leaked out that modifications to the UK’s 2005 Gambling Act are finally ready, and are just weeks away from being released. New regulations were supposed to be released throughout 2021, but, like so much last year, there were delays. In late 2020, the UK Gambling Commission launched a comprehensive review of the nation’s approach to legal gambling. Now British government ministers want to ensure that regulations are suitable for the digital age. In fact, history shows us that they go back nearly a millennium to the rule of Richard I. While that might seem like a drastic change to current gambling laws, affordability checks are nothing new.
In an effort to protect the population from problem gambling, the UK will soon require punters to prove they can afford to play for certain stakes.
