The UK government charged ahead with affordability checks despite 77.62% of respondents in a survey rejecting financial checks. (Images courtesy of hoowy.kp on Vecteezy)
Yes, the title of my latest news piece might come as a pessimistic opinion. Unfortunately, I am taking the glass-is-half-empty approach today regarding the previously reported UK affordability check saga.
A 2021 UKGC survey shows that an overwhelming number of 77.62% of 12,124 respondents are discontented with the affordability checks. This information comes via the Racing Post, a reliable source often cited by other media and trusted by its readers for accurate and timely information.
Previously, these figures were not made public, but thanks to the UK’s Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) invoked by Regulus Partners, the stats were published in a Racing Post news report – Revealed: Gambling Commission survey.
Despite the survey’s results, does anyone think the UK government will change its stance? Considering this survey was from 2021, my pessimistic answer is no.
All this tells me is affordability checks for the UK gambling industry are a case of ‘like it or lump it’, and that’s that!
There is, however, some light at the end of the tunnel, as the original intrusive affordability checks have not been as invasive as we first thought. In addition to the stats showing an overwhelming majority agonist affordability, the Racing Post report also offers several additional statistics, which I will cover both topics in the subsections below.
Before I go into the survey results, if you are new to the UK online gambling scene, you can scroll down to the last section of this news piece titled ‘Recap of The New White Paper Rules’, so you understand what’s happening in the UK right now.
Before I go into the survey results, if you are new to the UK online gambling scene, you can scroll down to the last section of this news piece titled ‘Recap of The New White Paper Rules’, so you understand what’s happening in the UK right now.
UKGC Affordability Check Survey’s Stiff Resistance
The debate around affordability checks is far from over, and it’s a topic that continues to dominate discussions across all gambling industry sectors.
As per the recent survey published in the Racing Post, UK respondents rejected the need for gambling companies to check player finances. I am also fairly confident in saying that UK gambling institutions certainly don’t want them.
Regardless of any survey, the UKGC and UK government have decided they are necessary. If the country voted against affordability checks in a BEXIT-style vote, we would see the same outcome.
The UK Government Has Taken the Foot Off the Gas
After studying further news reports in the Racing Post, the UKGC and UK government have backed off slightly by making affordability checks softer. That doesn’t mean they have gone away, but it at least means there is some compromise.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the UK government have introduced a more lenient approach to affordability checks.
- The new voluntary ‘Code on Customer Checks’ will reduce the frequency of intrusive documentation requests.
- This interim code, effective until a more permanent solution is developed and tested, applies to those with net deposits exceeding £25,000 annually or £5,000 monthly.
While the interim code represents progress, operators are still required to monitor players for signs of problem gambling habits as part of the UKGC framework’s responsible gambling compliance checks.
Details From Survey Published on the Racing Post
| Information | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total Respondents | Around 13,000 |
| Short Survey Respondents | 12,000 |
| Full Consultation Respondents | 1,000 |
| Respondents Describing Themselves as Members of the Public | Nearly 87% |
| Respondents Gambling Twice or More a Week | Almost 82% |
| Respondents Gambling Online in the Previous Four Weeks | Nearly 92% |
| Respondents Betting on Sports or Other Events | More than 78% |
| Respondents Supporting Action for Vulnerable Customers | Around 75% |
| Respondents Opposing Affordability Checks | 77.62% |
| Reason for Opposition: Customer Freedom | 64.42% |
| Reason for Opposition: Customer Privacy | 61.4% |
| Respondents Willing to Provide Information | 14% |
| Respondents Refusing to Provide Information | 42% |
| Respondents Moving to Another Operator | 22.52% |
| Respondents Uncomfortable with CRAs Accessing Information | Two-thirds of 12,066 |
| Respondents Never Providing Data | 54.29% of 12,001 |
Recap of The New UK White Paper Rules
The changes to the UK Gambling Act 2005, as proposed in the White Paper, are not just a possibility but a reality. And they are set to alter the landscape of the gambling industry significantly.
However, these changes also bring the potential for a more regulated and responsible gambling industry. The consultations for each rule are one of the only things holding back some of the worst-case scenarios predicted, and so far, it’s not been that bad.
To some extent, the consultations have ensured that the organisations pressing for the harshest rules are not getting exactly what they want. However, I suspect their strategy is to ask for the worst, and the compromise is close to what they originally intended.
It’s a classic lawyer’s move!
For now, here are some of the major changes that have come about since the UK’s White Paper gambling reform came into action.
Online Slot, Max Bet Limits, Coming in September 2024
We’ve already seen online and land-based video slot max bet limits agreed upon, and UK slot enthusiasts can expect these rules to occur in September 2024 as per our UK Online Slot Max Bet Limits Confirmed by DDMS new report. The new regulations include a £5.00 stake limit for adults aged 25 and over, while a lower £2 stake limit will be set for young adults aged 18-24.
Casino Companies Now Pay a 1% Levy For Gambling Addiction Prevention.
All gambling companies have also been asked to pay a 1% levy on their profits to the UKGC on top of already paid business taxes, which could mean fewer promotions for players as gambling companies recoup their 1%. The levy is already in place, and funds are distributed amongst various non-profits that deal with gambling addiction, which you can read more about in the following news report under the subtitle – Compulsory Levy Set to Transform UK’s Betting Scene.
These are not the only rules the UKGC has changed since the Gambling Act 2005 and the UKGC came into force. For a complete rundown of all new rules in the UK, you can read our United Kingdom online casino industry review here, and look for the subsection titled – New UK Gambling Rules.
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