The UK Gambling Commission’s latest rules to protect consumers go into effect October 31 and include several provisions to bring the country’s gambling industry into better compliance with advertising codes and consumer protection laws.
“The changes reflect our broader strategic ambitions to make sure that gambling is fair and safe, brought about because we had evidence that consumers weren’t being treated fairly” Ian Angus, program director for consumer protection and empowerment for the commission said. “We know that public trust in gambling is on the decline.
Some aspects of the new rules include:
1) “Operators will be required to abide by UK advertising codes which are written by the committees of advertising practice and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.”
2) “Operators will be held fully accountable for the actions and behaviors of third parties, including affiliates.”
3) “Operators will be required to comply with consumer law, particularly in relation to online promotions and the withdrawal of customer funds.”
4) “Operators will be required to introduce better complaint handling processes and we’re introducing a new eight-week limit for the resolution of customer complaints.”
5) “Operators will be required to ensure that they don’t spam UK consumers by electronic means.”
“There were quite serious compliance failings with consumer law and UK advertising codes and more general concerns about children, young people and vulnerable people,” Angus said. “We consulted widely on these proposals earlier this year with industry consumers and other stakeholders and there was widespread support for these changes.”
The new rules are also aimed at protecting consumers with complaints.
“The new requirements that are being introduced will make clear to operators that we expect a complaints process which is fair, open, transparent and effective and as part of that we’re introducing a new eight-week limit during which operators must resolve customer’s complaints and disputes,” Angus told the website. “In addition, we are publishing new advice to operators to help them develop an effective and appropriate customer complaints process. We are also introducing a new set of standards for alternative dispute resolutions.
“For the first time licensed operators will be required in our rulebook to comply with the full suite of UK advertising codes and failure to do so will result in swifter and tougher action from the Gambling Commission, including the potential for fining,” he said.
In another UK story, BBC News reports that calls to the country’s National Gambling Helpline have risen 30 percent in the last five years.
Figures from the National Gambling Helpline show it took 29,889 calls in 2017-18, up from 22,875 in 2013-14.
Anna Hemmings, chief executive of the helpline, said about two-thirds of calls were about financial problems, while about 50 percent of callers were worried about their mental health. The helpline is funded in part by Gamble Aware, an independent national charity funded by donations from the gambling industry.
Responding to the numbers, Tim Miller, executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, stressed the Importance of those struggling with gambling to have access to support.
“But a focus on preventing harm in the first place is equally important and that’s why we will continue to take actions to require gambling companies to spot those being harmed by gambling and step in to protect them,” he told the BBC.
Also, GambleAware, announced this week that it would be funding the new self-exclusion app Gamban.
Gamban’s system was shown to have a 99 percent success rating in effectively self-excluding players from online gambling options during testing.
“Significant investment in and dedication (to) the development of our software has made Gamban among the world’s leaders in gambling blocking,” Gamban CEO Jack Simmons said in a press release. “We’re delighted that this has been recognized by GambleAware, who will provide Gamban for free to those whose treatment they fund.”
Gamban will be provided freely to all clients using the national treatment service provided by GambleAware, the release said.
