The potential reformation of the U.K.’s gambling laws has been put on hold following a mass exodus of the country’s top government officials, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Gambling Minister Chris Philip.
In all, more than 60 members of Parliament left office, in a large-scale revolt against Johnson, who has been embroiled in controversy for several months.
Among them was Philip, the nation’s top gaming official—he has cited a lack of confidence in Johnson as the primary reason for his departure.
This will now understandably put a massive strain on the country’s legislative matters until those positions are filled again, and that will undoubtedly delay the ongoing review of existing gambling laws, which was expected to conclude in the near future.
The proposed changes, which reportedly included a new max bet limit of £5 for online casinos, a ban on football league gambling sponsorships and the prohibition of free promotional bets, were detailed in a white paper that was awaiting final review from Johnson and his cabinet.
That process will, of course, be delayed until the dust begins to settle, but a definitive timeline has not yet been announced.
Even in the event that a new election takes place sooner than expected, the exact details of the reformation will still need to be hashed out in Parliament, gaming regulatory attorney Melanie Ellis told iGaming Business.
However, there is a sentiment around the industry that an expedited election process would only stir the pot more and create greater disruption during an already turbulent time.
