Neil McArthur Reminds Gambling Operators to Play Fair During Lockdown

As Great Britain goes back into lockdown for a month, Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission (UKGC), re-iterated that it is vital for gambling operators in the country to continue to “play their part in keeping their customers safe”. He warned that the Commission would continue conducting compliance assessments during the four weeks ahead to ensure that casinos and sportsbooks tow the ‘party line’.

He went on to express that it was the wishes of the regulator that operators would not delay in acting responsibly on their players’ behalf. He stated:

“We expect you to act responsibly, especially around individual customer affordability checks and increased social responsibility interactions. We expect you to be very mindful that customers may be vulnerable and experiencing financial uncertainty, whilst others may be experiencing other effects of being isolated including, for example, feelings of anxiety, loneliness or boredom. We expect you to know your customers and step in quickly if they are showing signs that they are experiencing or at risk of harm.”

It is evident that the Commission believes that if operators co-operate with their expectations, that more and more vulnerable players will be protected from the vices of gambling that are specific to the context of the unique circumstances presented in 2020.

A Call to Remember

The Commission strengthened its resolve for responsible gambling at the start of the initial lockdown in March and has now called upon gambling operators to remember and adhere to the pre-proposed principles set out 8 months ago.

These were implemented with the goal of improving interaction with customers in a way that minimised the risks of them experiencing harm from gambling. This included protocols pertaining to:

• Thresholds and triggers used to track vulnerability. To ensure they reflect the changed financial circumstances that customers are experiencing.
• The reviewing time indicators to capture the play of those who exceed an hour per session.
• The setting of additional thresholds and triggers specific to the signing up of new customers where there is no predetermined spend pattern has yet been established.
• The implementation of processes that ensures continuous monitoring of the casino’s customer base and identifies changes in patterns.
• Conducting affordability assessments for individuals who are targeted by the new thresholds.
• Preventing reverse withdrawal options for all customers.
• Stopping the offering bonuses to vulnerable customers.

The UK Gambling Commission is notorious for being a stickler when it comes to the protection of vulnerable players, but there is no greater time than this to rally together and ensure that the year does not get any worse for the playing public. These principles present the minimum that operators could do to make sure that safety remains the priority during such trying times.

To Infinity and Beyond

The Commission has thought it expedient to expand upon their plight by highlighting two areas of interest this time around. They have expressly mentioned that:

• Marketing be conducted responsibly and that no operator should leverage the current situation for their advantage.
• Compliance with license conditions and codes of practice be upheld to the extreme.

The UK has not been the only region that has stepped up its monitoring processes during the pandemic. Spain issued strict new legislation regarding marketing during this time of distress, with the same resolve of keeping vulnerable players safe.

Sweden went the same route and imposed limitations on how much punters could gamble for the duration of the pandemic, as they believed that isolated individuals increasingly turned to such sites for entertainment. The social security minister of the country said at the time that:

“Isolated individuals, with major worries about their jobs and finances, represent a dangerously fertile nursery for an increase in gambling problems.”

Even the Malta Gaming Authority took strident steps to ensure that the standards of gambling were maintained during the past year.

Gambler’s Pick Cheers On Responsible Gambling!

Gambler’s Pick has and always will be a promoter of responsible gambling. The way in which regulators across Europe have rallied to ensure that operators are held to the highest standards during trying times is admirable.  It presents a firm foundation on which to build a far stronger and ethical gambling market going forward. 
It is encouraging to see that it is not only gaming innovation that is peaking in 2020 but that the wellbeing of players, who are at the heart of the industry, remains paramount.