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Welcome to
the News desk. |
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Is it: a) A quiz? Or b) A lottery? If b) You're taxed
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20/05/2007 |
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James
Robinson
The Gambling
Commission is set to deal a major blow to broadcasters by ruling that
quiz-style phone-ins should be classified as lotteries.
That means TV
channels will have to donate a fifth of any profit they generate to charity. It
will also lead to the competitions, in which viewers answer simple questions in
an attempt to win a prize, being subjected to far closer scrutiny than ever
before. Under-18s will also be banned from playing.
The commission, an
independent body set up by the government to regulate the gambling industry,
has been carrying out a consultation into the controversial quiz lines after it
was revealed some viewers were being cheated.
It has engaged in a
wide-ranging consultation and is due to issue a ruling next month. Political
sources say it will find that the vast majority of quiz competitions involve no
skill, and are effectively a game of chance. That means the games, a popular
part of many hit shows, will be regulated more closely in future, unless the
questions are made more difficult to answer.
The news will come as a
blow to commercial broadcasters, including ITV and Five. ITV conceded last week
that the negative publicity surrounding call-ins had dented its profits.
Some of Britain's biggest shows, including Blue Peter, Richard and Judy
and GMTV, have been hit by the quiz line scandal. Some broadcasters chose a
competition winner before lines had closed. Other shows were repeated but
failed to warn viewers they could no longer win any of the prizes on offer.
Media watchdog Ofcom and Icstis, which regulates premium-rate phones
lines, are carrying out separate inquiries into the quiz lines.
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