§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to address the development of technology which makes possible on-line betting with the use of pre-purchase or credit cards and a television receiver; what consideration he is giving to the transmission of such facilities to Britain via satellite television, and if he has any proposals to amend the law.
§ Mr. John PattenBoth credit and cash betting are already regulated by the current law. Similarly, television coverage of those sporting events on which punters most usually bet is already established. We would expect any technological developments in bookmaking to be designed to comply with the current law; and we have received no proposals for changes in the law to accommodate any such development which, if it were introduced, might at present be unlawful.