Gambling Commission Provides Updated Guidelines Before the New Laws Take Effect

The new rules for at-risk customers were announced in April. They will be effective from September 12 with the mentoring exercise for the licensed operators in June ahead of implementing the new guidelines.

The guidelines by the Gambling Commission are set to strengthen the monitoring obligations.

The commission is set to initiate updated guidance before their introduction to facilitate compliance. The 27-page guidelines highlight how customers are expected to interact with their iGaming operators after their introduction. The document can be accessed through the Gambling Commission website. The new rules address extensive information on how operators will quickly identify at-risk customers through threat indicators that they will be looking for. Operators will also utilize automated processes and systems to analyze customer interaction impact.

The current guidelines, set during Covid-19, will remain effective until September 12 this year, when the new rules will take effect. According to Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes, operators ought to heed the new guidelines ahead of them becoming effective. He further insisted that operators should capitalize on this period to prepare for the reforms and be compliant before September 12.

Rhodes additionally suggested that every gambling operator plays a critical role in preventing gambling harm. The new rules provide the pathway to doing so and support law enforcement if needed. With the current high cost of living, operators should embrace the new guidelines that protect the customer. The commission stated that further consultation on the techniques to tackle the three keys would be launched. The risks include; “significant losses amounting over time, binge gambling and risks for those financially vulnerable.”

Customer spending, spending patterns, time spent gaming, gambling behavior, customer-led interaction, and tool used for managing to gamble must all be considered indicators. Operators must ensure no promotional materials or bonus offers are given to clients who have shown clear signs of damage.

The set rules are more prescriptive and strong, and they require operators to;

  • Implement automated digital processes to suggest harm strongly
  • Flag harm indicators and take time effective action
  • Supervise various ranges of indicators, and set their minimum to identify potentials harm
  • Prevent take-up and marketing of new bonuses for at-risk customers
  • Assist the Gambling Commission in terms of evidence of customer interaction evaluation
  • Monitor their interactions and ensure to step in immediately at every level when customers face challenges
  • To comply and adhere to the set guidelines at all times entails ensuring third-party compliance

Operators must also show that they are aware of the effects of their contact with consumers and make every effort to gauge the success of their strategy. Finally, 18 months after the government started its review of the 2005 Gambling Act, the new guidelines are set to be launched on September 12. At-risk customers and operators are set to benefit from the new rules.

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Jacob Evans Written by Jacob Evans