In recent weeks, some of the biggest online gambling companies in the UK have made the decision to pick up shop and move their operations offshore. Both William Hill and Ladbrokes announced their intentions to relocate their companies to Gibraltar.

The companies claim the move is being made to cut their tax bills. They currently pay at 15% in the UK, but in Gibraltar, their tax liability will drop significantly, down to as low as 1.5%. A 13.5% tax cut is enormous savings for such large companies, so from a financial point of view, the move is very smart.

Chris Bell, the chief executive of Ladbrokes, called continued operation out of the UK “unsustainable”. Both companies are facing competition from offshore internet gambling firms, so they are wise to jump at this opportunity.

Will this move affect players? It’s too soon to know for sure, but if it does, it will be for the better. There are some who are speculating that this move is being made in anticipation of entering the US market. There are now bills in both the House and the Senate that seek to legalize and regulate online gambling in the US, and the money that Ladbrokes and William Hill save by making this move could go a long way in helping to secure licenses to offer their services to US players.

At this point this is only speculation, as it’s not even certain what the future holds for internet gambling in the US, but both Ladbrokes and William Hill would do well in the US online gambling market. Each site is known primarily for its sportbook, but both also offer full online casinos, bingo halls, and dedicated poker rooms. These all-in-one gambling sites would be very popular among US players.

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