Casino Operators May Now Be Required To Regulate Player Spending
The UK Gambling Commission may now force casino operators to regulate player spending.
This week, the Telegraph reported that the Commission may now require casino operators to regulate player spending as part of a “proposed crackdown” on gambling. According to the report, operators will need to establish how much players can afford to gamble and set limits on their spending until affordability checks have been conducted.
The newspaper said the Commission can impose fines on operators that breach the rules and wants operators to introduce new systems that can identify which players may be overspending. The Commission may use household earnings and wealth data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to assess this.
According to the Telegraph, operators will be required to monitor player bets to ensure they do not develop a gambling addiction as part of the terms of their license. Operators who fail to monitor players or breach the terms of their license will have it revoked by the Commission.
The Commission has allegedly told firms to keep an eye out for indicators such as erratic behaviour, chasing losses and playing with high stakes after a win. Other symptoms of a potential addiction include wagering frequently, using multiple payment methods and amassing large losses.
It reportedly told casino operators: “We expect you to take social responsibility seriously for all customers, including VIPs, and not let commercial considerations override customer protection.”
A Gambling Crackdown
The news comes just days after the UK Gambling Commission announced a 12-week consultation on the use of credit cards at online casinos. According to the Commission, the consultation will take place in mid-August and will consider banning credit cards from being used at online casinos.
Earlier this week, the Commission reiterated its commitment to reducing gambling harm after a report highlighted the link between suicide and gambling addictions. The regulator also announced this week that it does not consider loot boxes gambling due to current UK laws and that it is considering increasing the age limit for National Lottery Games from 16 to 18.
Meanwhile, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power launched its Save Our Shirt campaign which has called on sports betting operators to end football shirt sponsorships. Currently, football clubs Huddersfield Town, Newport Country and Motherwell have all been confirmed as part of the campaign.