§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their assessment of the effects of their proposed relaxation of the restrictions on gambling in casinos on corruption, money-laundering and other forms of serious criminal wrongdoing; and upon what information their assessment is based. [HL4526]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe proposals in the Gambling Bill which relate to casinos should have no adverse impact in terms of crime. There is no reason why, for example, making it possible for casinos to advertise or removing the requirement that they must operate as members' clubs should have such an118WA impact. On the contrary, the Bill will provide the Gambling Commission with monitoring and investigative powers which the Gaming Board now lacks, and the ability to exchange information about casino operators and applicants for casino licences with bodies with whom the Board has no information gateway. The commission will also have more resources than the board; and the prevention of gambling from being a source of crime, being associated with crime or being used to support crime will be one of its statutory functions. It is also relevant that casinos are already subject to the European Union's second money-laundering directive, and will be subject to the provisions of the further directive which now under discussion. We have received no representations from the police about the impact of the Bill in relation to serious or organised crime.
§ Lord Moynihanasked Her Majesty's Government:
What analysis and projections have been made of the impact of the Gambling Bill on future income generated by the National Lottery for good causes; and whether they will place any such analysis in the Library of the House. [HL4551]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe position remains as set out in paragraph 5.11 ofA Safe Bet for Success, laid before Parliament as Cm 5397.