- Lord Moyniham has proposed amendments to expand the section on cheating in the UK’s pending gambling bill.
- Under the amendments the maximum sentence for cheating, which would include collusion in poker tournaments, rises from two to ten years.
- The amendments are likely to be accepted before the bill becomes law later this year.
In the UK House of Lords, Lord Moyniham has proposed amendments to the UK Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill that expands the definitions of cheating and increases the maximum sentence from two to ten years in prison.
The new amendments are targeted at cheating that affects the outcome of a sporting contest, but their definitions will impact cheating at online poker. Collusion to affect the outcome of an online tournament is clearly covered and would constitute a criminal offence if the amendment is accepted.
The UK bill is now in its final stages and amendments are only likely to be accepted if they have substantial support. The hereditary peer Colin Berkeley Moynihan, 4th Baron Moynihan, is a former Olympic Silver Medalist who served as a Minister for Sport under Mrs Thatcher’s Government. He is also a former Chairman of the British Olympic Association.
It is unlikely that he would propose this amendment if he had not thoroughly tested the political ground in advance. The bill, which introduces the point of consumption regulatory framework, is expected to become law later this year.
