The man with the biggest paycheck in the land-based bookmaking industry has criticized the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport after they revealed plans to reform the online gaming industry. Ralph Topping, chief executive at William Hill, told the Times exactly what he thought of the plans.
New plans related to the licensing and taxation of the remote gambling industry were announced within days of each other and Mr Topping described them as “unfair” and an example of “different departments doing their own things.”
With the company having upped sticks and moved to Gibraltar, it’s no surprise that “Richie Rich” has come out in opposition to the plans. Even though they would lose the tax benefits of staying on the rock, he said there was not “a chance in hell of us coming back from Gibraltar”. Jeez no one was suggesting that Ralph. Chill pill time.
On the subject of Gibraltar he added that it had become “the hub for online gambling activity in Europe”, saying: “The Government will have to get their thinking caps on if they are going to make the UK more attractive to these technology companies.”
We take umbrage with him stating that Gibraltar is the hub in Europe. Everyone is starting to realize that the UK is the place to be as far as the European online gaming industry is concerned. They don’t call London the centre of the iGaming universe for no reason and the UK alongside the Philippines will continue to be the world leaders.
Topping also went on to converse about a sandwich, saying, “If [politicians] act holistically, people might think that was a reasonable approach, but if they salami slice things, they’re in danger of making huge mistakes and getting into legal territory they wouldn’t enjoy.”
Maybe staying over there in Gibraltar would be the best idea Ralph.
