Gambling Act 2005 Explanatory Notes

Section 10: Spread bets &c.

61.Spread bets or other bets, which are subject to regulation under section 22 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, are excluded from the definition of betting in this Part. Section 22 of the 2000 Act provides for regulated activities under that Act to be specified in an order. The relevant order is the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/544). Article 85 of that Order specifies as a regulated activity investments in rights under:

  • a contract for differences, or

  • any other contracts the purpose or pretended purpose of which is to secure a profit or avoid a loss by reference to fluctuations in the price or value of property, or fluctuations in an index or other factor specified in the contract,

and spread bets are accepted as falling within this description.

62.If a class of bet ceases to be subject to such regulation as a result of an order under section 22 of that Act, it automatically becomes subject to regulation under the Act. Subsection (2) enables transitional provisions to be included in any such order under section 22 to ensure that the switch to regulation under the Act happens in an orderly way.

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