Gambling Firms to Pay Addiction Tax

Over the weekend the Sunday Mail reported that Kenneth Gibson, a Scottish politician, has stated he would like to see a mandatory tax brought on all gambling firms that operate in Scotland. The tax money would go toward treatment of gambling addiction as well as education on gambling addiction.

Gibson stated that a mandatory tax on all firms must be established. He also stated he wants Westminster to give the Scottish Parliament the power to set the tax into effect. "It is simply not acceptable for gambling firms to make a fortune in profits from the Scottish people while largely ignoring their social responsibility to help educate people of the dangers of gambling and contribute to the treatment of gambling addicts" he added.

Also mentioned was the UK Gambling Act and a provision therein. Last September gambling companies were given the option to voluntarily pay to build a fund that would be used to educate citizens on gambling addiction. Gibson has stated that not all of the Scottish operators are contributing to the fund.

Last year companies gave only half of the expected GBP 4 million. The Betting Research Unit in Nottingham Business School has stated that UK citizens are playing twice the amount they were playing in 2001 when the taxes had been removed. A professor at the Betting Research Dept. believes that the rise in gambling especially in Scotland is due to the increased flexibility in the industry.