The UKGC to implement new rules designed to force UK-facing operators into detecting problem gambling and protecting against gambling harm. (Image from QuinceCreative at pixabay.com)
The UKGC, the governing body of the gambling industry in the UK and winner of the 2021 IAGR Regulatory Excellence Award, has put in place new rules to ensure that gambling operators do more to identify and protect customers that are at risk of gambling harm. These new rules as set out by the Gambling Commission are designed to ensure that operators are doing what they can to detect problem gambling as early as possible and taking the appropriate action when it has.
The UK Gambling Commission has given operators a notice period of six months to implement the new changes which will eventually take effect on the 12th of September. The commission also states that these new rules will be a lot more prescriptive than any rules currently in place, meaning these are not suggestions but rules that must be adhered to.
The new rulings have come following a consultation in 2021 that identified failings that the regulator continues to see among operators within the UK. The UKGC claims the operators have the ability to identify potential gambling harm earlier but were not doing so.
The commission has recently had to fine a number of operators including BetVictor and Rank Digital for failing their social responsibility duties and wants to ensure that laws are in place to prevent others from doing the same. Some operators might believe that the UKGC is too strict, but these new changes are there to protect players from falling into gambling addiction. This can ruin lives, so it is understandable the UKGC is doing what it can to prevent this from happening.
The New UKGC Rules in Detail – Designed to Improve the Protection of Players Showing Signs of Gambling Harm
The new rules include improving the monitoring of problem gambling indicators, taking quicker action on those flagged up, and preventing problem gamblers from seeing marketing and claiming new bonuses or promotions. The UKGC also wants assurance that all operators will provide evidence of all player interactions should any case arise.
Coming into effect on the 12th of September, the new rules require operators to:
- Monitor indicators such as customer spend, patterns of spend, how much time spent gambling, to identify gambling harm.
- Flag up any indicators of harm and take appropriate action as quickly as possible.
- Implement automated processes for any strong indicators of harm.
- Put procedures in place to block marketing and take-up of new bonuses and promotions for any customer that is flagged as at risk.
- Evaluate all customer interactions and ensure all interaction is at a level that matches the level of problem gambling for the given gambling activity.
- Provide the UKGC with evidence of all interactions as part of any routine casework.
- Comply with the above requirements at all time and ensure that any third parties also comply.
Andrew Rhodes, the Chief Executive of the UKGC, said in a statement:
We have witnessed over and over that some operators are still not doing what is needed to prevent gambling harm. With these new rules, operators will be in no doubt as to how seriously we take this issue. Our expectations are more explicit than ever. We not only want, but expect that operators take this issue seriously and those that do not will face tough action on our part.
Further information regarding these rule changes will be made available in June so that operators understand what is expected of them. The UKGC also states it is happy to engage with operators to answer any questions or queries regarding these changes.
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