Arbusers

The recent UK elections were a major arbing and trading event that I hope we all managed to exploit. UK and especially US elections are a nice source of income for us arbers, together with Eurovision song contest (coming soon) and the selection of the city for the next Olympic games. All of them are considered as ''special markets''.
That was a long introduction indeed before commenting on Cameron's policies on EU membership and subsequently...gambling. Cameron had a triumph against all odds. Most analysts find it hard to give proper explanations but my guess (and this is just my guess) is that the main reason behind this triumph is his promise to hold an"in/out" referendum on British membership of the European Union in 2017. You might think that 2017 is far away but it is not.
We watched UKIP falling of the cliff and my guess is that UKIP sympathizers voted Cameron, simply because he promised the fastest and widest way out from the EU. A strong UKIP is not a step forward for the UK to leave the EU. A Conservative Party with an outright majority is.
But how is this going to affect gambling, and therefore us...arbers and traders?
During these last 5-6 years we watched state monopolies and regulations devastating the gambling scene as we knew it after 2001. Taxes, restrictions, capital controls, EU states are using all available tools to hunt even the last eurocent. Hands down, we have to admit that gambling in the EU became much harder than what is was some years ago. In my opinion, this armageddon is against EU fundamentals of competition, monopolies and freedom of capital. However, the need for cash encourages EU to forget it's cornerstones.
The UK itself implemented a new law (POC) in November 2014, that became an obstacle for the UK arbers when pinnacle and some Asian bookmakers left. However, the UK regulation is considered to be  soft compared to the regulations that we have seen in other major markets such us France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Turkey. Lets face it POC is still allowing our UK friends to operate (thank God). The most important reason why POC didn't rape the market, is because all major bookmakers are investing in the UK, creating thousands of Jobs, paying taxes and are stock listed there.
An independent UK from Brussels might give more freedom to all these bookmakers and companies around gambling (i.e e-wallets). Bookmakers, freed from EU regulations and bureaucracy, might be tempted to open their doors again to 500 mn Europeans that are not allowed to visit them. A UK hooked from the EU chariot, might not allow all these companies to operate as we would like them to operate.
Now, lets see a scale of grey. Cameron promised that a Conservative government would negotiate new agreements with the European Union and would then hold a referendum on whether to remain in or to leave the EU. Even if we don't get to the booth, these negotiations might offer some more freedoms to the UK and subsequently, bring in some more air for bookmakers to breathe. If you ask me, I would opt for a referendum with a NO to the EU outcome.

Interesting post.

I must admit I was (pleasantly) suprised that the Conservatives managed to get a majority, it looked like a Labour/SDP nightmare for a while.

I think if the UK actually left the EU it would be better for gambling/arbing due to less regulation and red tape that the EU just love.  Its a difficult one because some of that red tape might actually prevent people getting scammed and cheated by roguish books etc

As for the taxing of betting, all governments are skint so dont expect anything other than the same or more anytime soon lol

the election for me (this time) was not an arbing opportunity, elections of course can be arbing opportunities
but even better they are gambling opportunities, at 10.01pm on Thursday night there was an extraordinary
gambling opportunity, one I was waiting for and even then was caught by total surprise and didn't make as
much as I should have......damn!

as for UK leaving the eu, a vote is certain, Cameron has pledged this, UKip won the euro election but just like
in Scotland a change would maybe be too big an obstacle for the majority, without question Northern European
countries would be better off without their southern and eastern friends.

as for politics regarding arbing, we have to accept the best conditions have gone, adapt and accept the differences
and use our skills and knowledge which we have learned over the years to continue to make profit, arbers by nature
are resourceful, the "average man in the street" thinks beating the bookmaker is impossible, we know differently,
this will continue, the "average man" will continue to feed the bookmaker, we can continue to share the feast even if our
portions may sometimes be a little smaller

oh and by far the biggest reason for Cameron's stunning victory was the rise of the SNP, their potential influence
on England (UK) was one most English and especially in the South found totally unpalatable, Cameron and his
party exploited this to the max with anti scottish rhetoric, despite months earlier telling Scotland he loved them
even claiming he had a Scottish surname whilst talking through fake tears, politicians will say and do anything
to save their jobs.................if only Cameron liked a bit of arbing on the side!

could you give some hints where or how to approach these kind of events for people like me who never looked at them?

Thanks