There’s been a last-minute reprieve for egaming firms which were facing a new point-of-consumption tax in the UK.
The new online gambling licensing regime has been put back a month as Gibraltar challenges the new UK law in the High Court in London.
The UK Gambling Commission says the Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Act 2014 will now come into effect on November 1.
On its website, the body says the move – which would mean Manx-based firms would have to pass on extra costs to players or pull out of the UK market – has been delayed to allow judges to make a decision.
The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association claims the new a 15% tax on all bets placed by UK punters is protectionism to raise additional revenue, banned under EU trade laws.
The UK says the tax is about player protection.