The Treasury Minister says he feared the arrival of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister might have dashed immediate hopes of Manx inclusion on the UK's e-gaming 'white list'.
Yesterdays announcement paired the island and Alderney on the list which enables companies here to trade into the EU.
The UK's Gambling Act 2005, being implemented next month, will ban companies based outside the EU from marketing into the UK. This means companies licensed in the Isle of Man will not now have this restriction and will be able to advertise into the UK for both the terrestrial and remote markets.
Mr Bell says he thought Mr Brown might put the announcement on hold:
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