May 1st marked the official introduction of a range of new rules that are set to improve gambling safety in the UK, as well as an official announcement that the Gambling Commission (UKGC) is planning to implement financial vulnerability checks. However, prior to making the said risk checks a permanent requirement, regulators will seek to assess whether they can be conducted in a completely frictionless manner.
Trials will be conducted over the course of six months if all goes as planned. Should regulators approve the implementation of risk checks, online operators will be mandated to begin evaluating clients’ financial vulnerability based on publicly available data starting this August. At first, a monthly net deposit of over £500 will trigger a check, but this threshold will be reduced to £150 in February 2025.
Safety is the primary objective of this measure, and the UKGC presented several cases where the lack of proper oversight has led to customers overspending and thus being put in danger of experiencing gambling harm. An individual who gambled away £70,000 within a mere 10 hours was among the most serious examples that demonstrated the risk assessments’ necessity.
Ban on Dangerous Game Features and Other Regulatory Changes
In 2023, the UKGC determined that a set of prohibitions surrounding the mechanics of online slots, specifically ones having to do with the speed and intensity of play, had been effective in reducing risky gameplay while not affecting the enjoyment of clients.
As per Wednesday’s announcement, similar rules will apply to a range of remote gambling products as opposed to just slots. According to the UKGC’s new regulations, autoplay will no longer be permitted, and the same will apply to turbo and slam stop features, seeing as they have been known to lead to increased gameplay speed that gives “the illusion of control.”
Developers will also need to do away with celebrations (both audio and visual) when it comes to wins not exceeding the wagered amount. Enabling customers to play two or more gambling products simultaneously has been outlawed as well, and a ban on games where each spin lasts under 5 seconds has also been approved. It should be noted that the latter will not apply to peer-to-peer poker.
The above rules, as well as requirements that will make it mandatory for operators to show real-time net spending and time spent on wagering to their clients, will be officially enforced on January 17th, 2025.
A Balanced Approach is Crucial
The UKGC’s CEO, Andrew Rhodes, stressed how important it is for the Commission to introduce new rules “based on evidence” and to “take into account the views of consumers and other interested parties.” According to Mr Rhodes, the UKGC has considered the results of its consultations and has, accordingly, introduced changes to the proposals. He further put an emphasis on the necessity to “get the balance right” when it comes to keeping vulnerable clients safe while ensuring adults who can gamble without issues have the freedom to enjoy the activity.
The Commission has also co-developed a new Voluntary Industry Code with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and the Government. The said Code has to do with financial risk checks and mandates that BGC members will need to require documentation only from clients who plan on spending over £5,000 per month on gambling. For adults aged between 18 and 24, however, the monthly cap will stand at £2,500. The aim of this Code is to make this type of assessment less intrusive.
- Author
Daniel Williams
