UKGC's Latest Guidelines For Responsible Gambling

Online gambling is a massive industry in the United Kingdom, and as a result, problem gambling has been a real issue for a segment of the population. This led the UK Commission to take extra-ordinary steps over the past few years to stamp out any unfair gambling practices and dangerous advertising tendencies that were ever practised within the country.

The commission has punted and enforced strong responsible gambling protocols. As a result, the UK has outlawed any casino offering UK citizens entertainment unless they are suitably licensed to do so by the regulator. This way the government and the regulator can make sure that all operators keep up the same level of service and protection to players. The UK Commission has built a strong reputation for being the strictest gambling overseer in the world.

“Did you know? There are more registered online gamblers in the UK than there are in the rest of the Eurozone put together.”

In light of the Covid-19 requirements by the British government for people to stay at home, the Gambling Commission has ramped up its efforts to keep its citizens safe from problematic gambling habits and will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments where necessary. They have acknowledged that boredom and excess time on the public’s hands will most likely cause much more opportunity for online gambling than in the past.

In a recently published article on their site, the Gambling Commission has urged players to be aware of the responsible gambling tools that are available at licensed casinos and have urged them to make good use of them at the sign of any problems. These protocols include:

• Spend Limits: Players can request that spend limits are enforced upon their accounts. Once set, these limits cannot be changed at a whim. This tool prevents gamblers from overspending on betting entertainment.
• Social Media Advertising Control: The UK Commission has partnered with the social media platform, Twitter, to implement settings and tools that allow the public to limit the amount of gambling advertising they see. People are urged to make use of these controls to curb temptation.
• Self-Exclusion: The UK has implemented a multi-operator exclusion scheme called GAMSTOP. Here, players who want to either take a break from gambling or want to stop gambling altogether can apply for self-exclusion from any UK licensed casino/casino network.
• Licensed Casinos: As stated previously, the UK Commission is the strictest regulator in the world. They discourage players from using unlicensed casinos sites for gambling, as these platforms may not have the degree of security offered for players that are offered by UK Commission operators.
• Easy to Read Ts and Cs: Licensed casinos must provide a summary of the terms and conditions of offers. Make sure that you read through them thoroughly to understand the requirements of the casino before opting for these promotions.
• Examine your History: All legitimate UK casinos will be able to furnish you with a history of your gambling habits on their site/network. This way, you will be able to ascertain whether you spend way too much money gambling or not. This could be the factor that convinces you to start using responsible gambling tools at casinos.