The UK Gambling Commission has set new rules to ensure that online gambling brands take more action to protect and identify customers at risk of harm.
Commencing in September this year, gambling companies must adhere to stricter and more prescriptive rules that will require firms to flag indicators of harm and take action accordingly.
To identify signs of harm and protect at-risk customers, betting brands will have to monitor indicators, evaluate interactions, implement automated processes, halt marketing material and bonuses where necessary, and supply evaluations to the Gambling Commission.
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The decision to implement new regulations follows a consultation the commission launched to analyse the failures of online gambling operators in identifying at-risk gamblers.
“Although capable of identifying customers who may be harmed by gambling, operators were not always doing so or acting quickly enough,” the UK Gambling Commission said.
“The Commission received approximately 13,000 responses to the consultation and call for evidence.”
According to the report, in a short survey about the relevance of identifying customers at risk, a high proportion of respondents agreed that operators should take action when aware of vulnerability.
“This was generally consistent across all respondent types – consumers, those employed in a gambling business, charities, and academics. Those who disagreed did so primarily for reasons relating to consumer privacy and freedom,” the Gambling Commission stated.
Proposals to enforce online safeguarding came as a result of these findings.
Gambling Commission chief executive, Andrew Rhodes, added: “Time and time again our enforcement cases show that some operators are still not doing enough to prevent gambling harm.”
“These new rules, developed following an extensive consultation, make our expectations even more explicit.”
“We expect operators to identify and tackle gambling harms with fast, proportionate and effective action and we will not hesitate to take tough action on operators who fail to do so.”
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