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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Rob Davies

Tony Blair’s bet on gambling Britain has spiralled out of control

Tony Blair Britain New Labour United States Jack Ritchie BGC Football Ladbrokes Paddy Power United Kingdom
A betting app on a mobile phone held in front of televised football.
Smartphones and wall-to-wall TV coverage followed the 2005 step-change in gambling regulation. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA Images

The phenomenal rise of the UK gambling industry owes much to reforms, introduced by Tony Blair, that flipped the state’s attitude to sports betting and casino gaming on its head.

At the turn of the century, the government recognised that betting and gaming, in particular online, could not be prohibited and ought, instead, to be properly regulated.

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