UK Gambling Commission designs world-leading standards
31 May 2007
The UK Gambling Commission was established in October 2005, and replaced the Gaming Board for Great Britain as regulator of casinos, lotteries, bingo, and gaming machines. Amongst other things, it also took on board responsibility for the regulation of betting and remote gambling, as well as protecting children and vulnerable people. In accordance with provisions being made by the Gambling Act 2005, the Commission is set to open and be fully operational by September 2007. The strict limitations it intends to impose, according to Commission Chairman Peter Dean, are designed to secure the act’s three main objectives; to “keep crime out of gambling, to make sure it is fair and open, and to protect children and vulnerable people”. With the date looming ever closer, it is time for both online and offline gamblers to acquaint themselves with the changes that will already take affect within the next three months.
The British gambling community has already experienced a taste of the new enforcements, having to apply for gambling licenses under the new Commission since January 2nd this year. The Commission’s published codes of practice have been submitted for consultation, and responses are due on June 2nd. This is the first time that both the offline and online gambling industries will fall under the regulatory enforcement of a single body. Many of its new rules are designed to combat problem gambling, “to make sure that standards of social responsibility amongst gambling operators will be the highest in the world”, said Dean.
The Gambling Commission is taking what has until now been considered harsh steps in order to ensure that gambling is handled in a socially responsible manner. All gambling establishments, whether an arcade, slot parlor, local betting shop, bingo hall or casino, must satisfy various requirements by means of inspection (both surprised and pre-scheduled), in which assessors might even disguise themselves as customers. Those who do not meet the newly set standards will have their license revoked or receive heavy fines. Additionally, employees such as dealers will be required to obtain official licenses in order to continue working in such a facility.
One of the most influential decisions of the new Gambling Commission is the strict limitations that will be imposed on bookmakers and sports betting in general. In an aim to improve the reliability of sports betting, it questioned in last week’s consultation paper whether it “should require the gambling industry to only offer certain categories of betting opportunities”. This will mean that sports that bets that are not dependent upon the actual results of a game, such as which player will be first to receive a yellow card, will be banned by the new campaign. The Commission believes that a wave of cheating has resulted since this kind of betting entered the industry. However, the industry itself strongly denies this assertion, and is in fierce opposition to the new proposal. The Gambling Commission will also release an official results service similar to that of horse racing, as a means of encouraging this new level of fairness. Although the scheme is not yet approved, it is one of many designed to achieve high quality sports betting conditions.
Other aspects of the Commission’s license conditions and codes of practice include:
- Online and offline casino’s and bingo operators to take on specific measures that will regulate continuous and repetitive game play. Such measures are, for example, the encouragement of taking breaks from game play, and making customers aware of the time, and money they have spent in the casino. The speed of gaming machines will also be slowed down, as well as the banning of alcohol as a means of encouraging game play.
- In land-based casinos, measures must be taken to prevent the entry of underage customers. Age checks are allowed to be carried out on anyone appearing to be below the age minimum, and trained supervisors must be employed in order to deter them from the casino site. In online casinos, random credit card checks and software filtering programs must be employed as a way to block minors from entering and using the casino programs.
- In cases where a player shows signs of problem gambling, land-based and online casino operators will be required to exclude them from game play. Also, players who feel they have a problem must be able to exclude themselves.
- All gambling operators must publish their policies and procedures for promoting socially responsible gambling. Topics that should be covered in these publications include the risks of problem gambling, treatment of problem gamblers, and its contribution to research.
- Information about responsible gambling and available help to problem gamblers should be displayed or made accessible on the home page or login area of any online gambling website.
- And finally, house edge, odds, game rules and payout percentage rates must all be clearly displayed on online casino’s, and the site operators are required to publicize a complaints procedure that includes an external and independent element.
According to the official website, the “Commission is working closely with betting industry organization to ensure the right level of license controls”. Whilst the new regulations and restrictions are considered by the gambling community to be somewhat harsher than required, they are expected to raise the bar in sports betting and general gambling in the UK to world class status. With over 8,000 licensed betting premises in Great Britain, and over 7 million customers (both local and foreign) a year, these new codes of practice are something the gambling community should quickly get used to.
For gambling operators and book keepers, they will probably be more distracting than helpful. To players, however, this is expected to bring about high standard gambling, better security levels, protection for children and minors, and improved gambling quality. |
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