Ever since the people of the UK decided to leave the European Union in a historic referendum in June 2016, every industry from healthcare and manufacturing to hospitality and financial services to the tech sector has felt the consequences of this decision.
The sphere of online and offline gambling is no different. Worth more than €24.7 billion, the EU’s betting sector, which includes online casinos, sports betting websites, and online lotteries, won’t remain immune to the tremors that will result from one of the European Union’s biggest economies saying goodbye to the trading bloc after nearly half a century of being a part of it.
But what exactly will be the effects of this decision? Read this article to find out everything you need to know on how Brexit is going to affect Europe’s gambling industry.
Possible Shortage of Trustworthy Gambling Sites
There is an excellent chance that, after Brexit, many gambling sites might decide that, since they no longer need to comply with GDPR regulations to serve their content to British users, they might elect not to do so. That decision, in turn, would allow these sites to store and sell the sensitive data of users without obtaining their consent and without giving them full control of what happens to it.
Which, in many cases will make the online casino experience of GB players worse than for online casino AU or CA players.
As a result, bettors won’t be aware of what type of their sensitive personal information betting sites are collecting and, later on, selling to the advertisers and other third parties. That realization that gambling sites are no longer being forthright might decrease the trustworthiness of online casinos in the eyes of British bettors.
In fact, several users of gambling forums and subreddits have already said they’ll be using virtual private networks to fool websites into thinking they’re playing from EU countries, so that they can continue to benefit from the protections afforded to them by the GDPR.
Outflow of Staff in UK-based Casinos
After assuming charge as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson indicated his intention to introduce a new, points-based immigration system in the country. Unbeknownst to the former member of the Parliament, that decision might have adverse effects on UK-based casinos and online gambling venues.
That’s because the staff that regularly works in casinos — such as doormen, croupiers, and bar staff — would no longer be able to come and work in the United Kingdom. Their inability to come to Britain might lead to the shortage of personnel in UK-based casinos.
Gambling Companies Might Raise Their Prices in the UK
Since the United Kingdom has now bid its farewell to the European Union, there is an excellent chance that gambling companies who don’t have their headquarters based in the country might have to apply for a separate license to serve the UK market.
While that might not seem like a big deal, it actually is. Gambling licenses cost bucket-loads of money and to make money for them, betting companies might have no choice but to raise their prices in the United Kingdom to cover the costs of the license.
