Labour's reforms will suck children into Net gambling, say experts

The Royal College of Psychiatrists issued a last-minute plea for ministers to reconsider letting foreign gambling websites advertise on television here.

Addiction experts fear the supposedly tight restrictions on such sites will be "unenforceable". They say children will take advantage of security loopholes to pose as adults and bet on-line.

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Hundreds of foreign-based gaming websites are expected to start advertising on British TV and radio channels from next Saturday - even though they are not regulated in the UK and do not pay tax here.

Worried experts are urging ministers to delay the move until the ability of the new Gambling Commission watchdog to enforce the rules and tackle addiction can be assessed.

Ministers have promised for years that the Gambling Act would bring in tough regulations for casino websites. But Gordon Brown used his last budget as Chancellor to set high tax rates for gaming websites.

This means no overseas operators are planning to move their bases to Britain - effectively rendering the entire regulation regime meaningless.

With online casinos mostly based in places such as Gibraltar, critics fear many will perform only the most cursory checks on players' ages and identities - making it far too easy for UK children to gamble illegally on-line.

Dr Emanuel Moran, a specialist adviser on pathological gambling to the Royal College, yesterday highlighted a report by a Lords committee which warned the internet is fast becoming a "lawless Wild West".

It said the Web is plagued by fraud and identity theft, and has become a "playground of criminals" who systematically flout national laws.

In a last-minute official submission from the Royal College, Dr Moran also cited reports from children's charities revealing how easy it is for youngsters to buy pre-pay credit cards. These can then be used on the internet to buy alcohol or gamble.

Dr Moran said: "If a child logs on to the internet using an adult's identity and one of these credit cards, it is very difficult for operators to spot the fact that they're under-age. The whole question of enforcing online gambling regulations is extremely dubious.

"I think there will mayhem as far as children are concerned. The protection we have is not sufficient or enforceable.

"Let's at least find out whether the Gambling Commission is capable of enforcing the rules before we relax the rules on advertising, which is bound to increase demand."

Former Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell initially claimed the Act would be a failure if it led to any increase in gambling addiction.

She later backtracked, saying that some increase was likely and would be acceptable provided it was in proportion to the growth in gambling overall.

The Gambling Act also paves the way for a new generation of giant casinos. The Prime Minister has bowed to public pressure by ordering a rethink of plans for a single vast supercasino in Manchester.

However, 16 other large casinos will be built across the country, and critics fear the number of gambling addicts will soar from the current estimate of 300,000.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport yesterday insisted it is taking a "very cautious approach" to gambling advertising.

There will be a 9pm watershed for television adverts, and these will not be allowed to target young people, it said.

A spokesman added: "We will monitor the impact of gambling advertising very carefully.

"The Secretary of State has reserve powers to make regulations controlling the form, content, timing and location and wording of gambling advertising and won't hesitate to use these."