The Leadership Team of the independent charity GamCare is planning to review the structure of its Safer Gambling Standard. The said standard outlines a series of factors that are taken into consideration when determining whether a gambling business is sufficient in protecting clients from gambling harm. Should the Board’s plan be implemented, it will result in the Safer Gambling Standard being structured in a way that will allow it to operate “outside of GamCare.” According to the announcement, the said decision was made in the last month of 2023.
In addition, GamCare is now undertaking its own investigation into gambling operator Gamesys in order to determine if the company has failed to comply with the certification requirements outlined in the Safer Gambling Standard, seeing as, last month, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) handed Gamesys a £6 million fine.
As reported previously by Casino Guardian, this punishment was enacted after the UKGC determined that a number of British Gamesys customers had deposited an exorbitant amount of money or incurred significant losses within a short period of time. As this level of spending is considered to be a sign of problem gambling, it should have prompted Gamesys to approach the said individuals with the goal of addressing and mitigating the potential issue. Gamesys not only failed to do this, however, but the operator even offered promotions to one of the at-risk clients. The UKGC’s investigation also found major problems relating to the company’s anti-money laundering measures.
Gamesys Received its Safer Gambling Standard Certificate During the Investigation
In spite of Gamesys’ various violations of UKGC rules, The Telegraph reported earlier this week that the operator had been in possession of a GamCare level 3 certificate. This is the highest level of certification when it comes to the Safer Gambling Standard. Operators who are granted this level of award are thought to perform well in terms of their responsible gambling measures, and it also indicates that the business “has no significant weaknesses in customer risk models or interaction processes.” A GamCare spokesperson did clarify that Gamesys had not informed the charity of the investigation at the time the company was being assessed for its certificate, however.
As established, Gamesys is also now subject to further auditing from GamCare. The GamCare Board ended its recent announcement by stressing how GamCare will continue to put its main efforts into helping those who are suffering from problem wagering, including problem gamblers and individuals who also suffer a negative impact from gambling harm despite not being gamblers themselves.
The charity’s commitment to mitigating and preventing gambling harm is also evident in how, in December, it welcomed the Government’s proposed statutory levy on gambling operators, which aims to secure more funding for research, prevention, and treatment of gambling harm. GamCare did express some concerns with the Government’s plans, however, and gave recommendations, namely on how separate commissioners would need to be appointed to research, prevention, and treatment, as opposed to the three being overlapped. Another issue that the charity pointed out had to do with the transition period, and it stressed that those in need of help “deserve the highest quality and most accessible care.”
- Author
Daniel Williams
