Territorial Extent Schedule 15: Private gaming and betting Part 17: Legality and Enforcement of Gambling Contracts Section 338: Interim Moratorium
838.The Commission will have the power to make an order freezing any obligation to pay money in relation to a bet, where it suspects that it may need to make an order that the bet is void under section 336. The effect of this interim moratorium is to protect any payments that would otherwise have been made in relation to a bet, but which might be difficult to recover if the Commission later decides that the bet should be made void. So, whilst the interim moratorium is in place, a betting operator need not pay a customer any winnings; and the customer will not be required to pay any stake or commission.
839.The Commission need not be certain that a voiding order will be made before imposing the interim moratorium.
840.An interim moratorium will last for a period of 14 days, beginning on the day that it is made. It will be possible for the Commission to extend an interim moratorium by a further period of up to 14 days. There is no limit to the number of interim moratoriums that the Commission may impose in relation to any bet, although the time limit of 6 months for making an order to void a bet will continue to apply during any period when an interim moratorium is in place.
841.The Commission may cancel an order for an interim moratorium before it expires; and must cancel one if it ceases to think that it might want to make an order to void the bet.
842.Where the Commission decides to impose an interim moratorium, but then decides not to void the bet, the Commission will not be liable to make any payment (such as interest on the payments that have been frozen) simply because it has taken such action.