The UK Gambling Commission plans to act on advice from its Responsible Gambling Strategy Board to better protect children and underage gamblers.
The commission said it is bringing together existing work and acting on the advice provided by the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board and has called for all those responsible for safeguarding children to work together with the commission to address the wide range of issues identified in RGSB’s advice.
The commission said it is specifically looking for suggestions on these issues:
- access and exposure to gambling by children and young people
- digital and online risks
- preventative education and treatment
- evidence collection and consumer engagement.
“We have a strong commitment to protecting children and young people from the harm gambling can pose. It’s at the heart of how we regulate, said Tim Miller, executive director of the commission. “We asked our expert advisers, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, to consider this critical theme. The advice helps us to refocus and reinforce what we are doing already, and what we need to do next. For example, this year we will be carrying out targeted compliance and enforcement activity to identify and tackle any weaknesses in the age verification processes.
“Safeguarding children in a digital age is complex, and what both RGSB and our research has highlighted is that it takes a multi-faceted approach by us, government, educators, gambling firms and parents. It will take firm ongoing commitments from the commission as gambling regulator, but also from all of those with a part to play,” he said.
