The UK Treasury are today considering a flat 15% tax on gambling institutions. A "hotchpotch regime" of taxation and regulation, it has been suggested, could be brought under control in the long run if tax was to be brought to a level standard in the country.

The current system was criticised thanks to its "over-use" of tax on walk-in casinos, where tax is paid and yet very little (in comparison to the rest of the industry) underage gambling takes place. Take a look at the ever-expanding offshore online businesses and how they avoid paying tax and you see how unfair and unbalanced this certainly is.

The industry in the UK went against the grain and grew in 2009. However, while overall revenue was up by 3.4% on 2008 to an amount of around £540 million, higher taxes have been blamed for the decrease in profits by 3.8% to the amount of £58 million.

The Champions League tie between AC Milan and Manchester United last night saw the return of David Beckham to British screens, and this was something which led to a high in online football betting so far this year. The football continues tonight with Porto vs Arsenal and a tough tie next week between Inter Milan and Chelsea.

At a time when Arsene Wenger has seen the odds slashed on his midfield playmaker Cesc Fabregas leaving Arsenal for Barcelona in the summer, the bookies continue to kick him when he is down with a bet of 13/8 on his team not managing a goal at all tonight. Willian Hill have, at least, made them favourites to win both legs (7/2) compared to their opponents (12/1).

Odds on the match between Inter and Chelsea see the bookies, so far, sitting on the fence with both at 6/4 on William Hill. Expect Chelsea's odds to lengthen sooner or later though as more news piles out about John Terry and Ashley Cole. Bearing in mind that Inter have quailed two years in a row against English teams, the away bet isn't a dangerous shout.

There are some big matches in the Premier League this Wednesday, with the major ones happening in London and Birmingham. Arsenal invite Liverpool to the Emirates after having lost in both their most recent games against their top four rival Man Utd and Chelsea while Aston Villa welcome Manchester Utd in a game that could take them either to fourth or first respectively.

Aston Villa's odds are long across the board, 7/2 on Bet365 and William Hill and 4/1 on Betfair. The draw in each respectively is 12/5, 5/2 and 13/5.

Arsenal managed to defeat Liverpool at Anfield in the first half of the season and it seem to be this that the bookies have kept in mind. Wenger's boys have been likened to a "wounded animal", something which the bookies have reflected in their odds. Betfair have Arsenal as clear odds-on favourites while Liverpool sit at 3/1, despite their current run of form and five clean sheets. Not wishing to influence where you put your money, I wouldn't mind taking that 3/1 bet...

Liverpool to win:
Bet365 - 14/5
William Hill - 11/4

Arsenal to win:
Bet365 - 1/1
William Hill - 1/1

5 years ago, UK government advisors predicted that gambling addiction would soon hit an all-time high and treatment would not keep up. Now, with news that the 6,000,000 mark has been surpassed, it seems they have been proved right.

Recent governments have failed their people in refusing to address industries in which addiction is rife thanks to their need for tax. We see it in the supermarkets, where alcohol is offered at cheaper prices than water thanks to government lobbying on the part of the CBI. Come the annual budget changes too, never do the government raise the tax on cigarettes enough to price out some buyers and cut NHS spending, and yet they continue to raise tax on property and threaten us with a tax on the one thing we need to survive - water.

The latest pathetic attempt on the part of the government to make the online gambling industry less perilous and more enjoyable for those with less experience has been called a "distraction" from the real issue, that of the latest figures suggesting that 10% of the UK population may have a gambling problem. It was a rare victory that the government won over an irresponsible ad campaign in the online industry, which is much harder to regulate than real casinos. Prime Scratchcards offered their games as a means to achieving financial stability if you claim benefits, and you can read the promotion here.

We at the Gambling Weblog have been keeping our eye on the ever-changing odds in football's Premier League. Now that we are in the second half of the season we can expect more regular fluctuations, and we'll keep you posted here.

The three markets to watch are the bet on the outright winners, the fight for fourth place and the relegation battle. The most recent change in the bookies predictions has seen Arsenal given longer odds to win the title race after they were held to a draw within hours of Chelsea ending Birmingham's unbeaten run with a 3-0 win and Manchester United's win over Manchester City in the Carling Cup. For anyone who believes the very-likely outcome of Arsenal winning the Premier League come May, this might be a good opportunity to find some decent odds.

Teams in contention for a coveted fourth place finish are Liverpool, Aston Villa, favourites Man City and Tottenham Hotspur. Thanks to Tottenham's win and Liverpool's draw on Tuesday night, Spurs are now 3/1 while Liverpool's odds have lengthened to 9/4, making them only marginally more likely according to the bookies.