William Hill, the bookmaker, has issued a thinly veiled threat to move its internet sports betting operation offshore unless the Government changes the tax regime in the next Budget. The company, which yesterday confirmed plans for a GBP 350 million rights issue as part of a GBP 1.2 billion refinancing, said that it was relocating 90 jobs in its sportsbook operation overseas, mainly to Gibraltar — a move widely seen as a warning to Treasury.

One of the leading gambling firms established in Gibraltar plans to pull out, said strong indications. But questioned by Panorama, Mansion (Gibraltar) Ltd, the company involved which employs 149 staff, said it was 'not true'. It follows in the wake of the news that Partygaming is looking at making about 100 staff redundant, although they do not intend to pull out completely from Gibraltar.

Das OVG Berlin-Brandenburg hat mit Beschluss vom 17.11.2006 (Az. OVG 1 S 89.06) die Entscheidung des VG Berlin vom 17.08.2006 bestätigt. Dort hatte das VG Berlin die unter Sofortvollzug ausgesprochene Verfügung des Landesamtes für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten Berlin bestätigt, wonach Sportwetten nicht an einen in Gibraltar lizenzierten „Offshore-Buchmacher“ vermittelt werden dürfen.