New Rules for E-Gaming

NEW regulations governing online gaming have been introduced to enhance the Island as an 'egaming centre of excellence'.

The government's head of egaming Bill Mummery announced the developments at a conference, which included potential investors, at the London Stock Exchange last Tuesday.

'In the past year the Island has become a significant recognised force in global gaming – the industry is increasingly dynamic,' he said. 'These changes will help the Isle of Man to win more business and respond to the changes needed as industry develops.'

Additions to the Online Gambling Regulations Act 2001 were made in three areas: software testing, disaster recovery provision and advertising and marketing.

The change to software testing will improve the process for testing online gambling technology, such as the fairness of Random Number Generators used to deal cards or spin a roulette wheel.

It also implements a need for continuous monitoring of the operators' systems to ensure fairness is maintained.

The regulations also introduce that those operators who are licensed and regulated in other jurisdictions can use the Island to provide disaster recovery and off-line data storage facilities to support their global operations.

Rules governing advertising and marketing have also been established on how Island-based online gaming businesses in this regard can support their clients.

Mr Mummery said the regulations would help 'in evolving further the Island as an egaming centre of excellence'.

The Island had made 'significant progress', he said, by attracting leaders from key sectors, including Microgaming, Neteller and PokerStars.

He added, these legislative changes – produced with the support of Berwin Leighton-Paisner, the London based international law firm – will increase the competitive advantage for the Island's economy and the operators.

The continuing success of the Island's online gambling business depended on its regulatory framework, he added, as well as having a world-class telecommunications infrastructure and the planned introduction in April of zero rate corporate tax.

The regulations will be formally laid before Tynwald in March.