Online casinos and other companies in the internet gambling industry already fear the results from the UK’s recent Gambling Prevalence research study. The UK government commissioned the study as a way to provide baseline statistics that can be used in future years according to the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport. But the online casino companies doubt that the media companies will take all facts into consideration – and most companies expect the media to lambaste the gambling sector and demand stricter legislation and more taxes.

The results from the latest prevalence study are not due out until the end of the month, but already some newspapers have gotten a hold of some statistics, and are beginning the unfavorable reporting. Specifically, The Observer and the Times have run stories on the Prevalence study. And as the online casino and land-based gambling industries come under attack again, one gambling industry executive in the Times commented, “It’s time to put our tin helmets on.”

The online casino industry feels the impending attack is entirely unjust because the recent Gambling Prevalence results will be compared to results from eight years ago – a time when internet gambling was a new medium and just gaining momentum, so naturally the results will have risen in that time period.

The research study eight years ago reported problems gamblers were 0.6 to 0.8 percent of the UK’s adult population. And though the exact results on this recent study have not yet been released, most expect results closer to 2.0 percent of adults. But the online casinos also stress that support help lines and emerging “opt-out” programs weren’t as prevalent eight years ago, so the industry is taking steps to keep problem gambling levels in check.

The online casino industry executive also noted about problem gambling that “Bookmakers and casino operators fear that, despite the government’s protestations to the contrary, it will seize on any increase to clamp down on the industry or hit it with punitive tax rises.”

Recent actions from Prime Minister Gordon Brown and parliament have also caused concern and confusion in the online casino industry, the government is sending out mixed messages about it’s stance on gambling in the UK, and has watered down important legislation like the Gambling Act that recently took effect.