The UK is definitely one of the best places on Earth to be a punter. According to a statistic carried out by the UK Gambling Commission, estimated 63% of all people living in the country gambled at least once in 2017. That’s a rather telling figure that reveals the scope of the whole undertaking.
And so, with the UK being one of the most lenient regions where gambling is endorsed, you may be thinking to yourself. Are these chaps really bothering doing something about prevention? The answer is a simple yes.
The UK Gambling Commission and NGO initiatives such as GambleAware are in a state of a constant flux in a bid to secure that the consumer is protected. Of course, given the permissiveness of the gambling industry, it’s hard to imagine that all souls can be saved, but the UKGC comes dauntingly close.
The Good Cop, the Bad Cop
With the UK being such a promised land for gambling, the UKGC is still stepping up its efforts to ensure that everything is kept in check. The Commission is aware that the “When the Fun Stops, Stop” campaign has been a massive success, reaching out to the majority of gambles on the island(s).
The long-term goals of the Commission are of course to uphold an order of things where people don’t fray prey to their first instincts, and this is laudable. The Committees of Advertising Practices and the Advertising Standards Authority have been making strong pushes for adopting new advertisement rules.
The UKGC has supported them in full. What the notable changes in the UK gambling landscape now have to do with the messages that all gambling ads try to convey, namely the urgency and attempt to efface any potential risks from the equation. In other words, you won’t get “Bet Now” and “Risk-Free Deposit Bonus” any longer.
A Step in the Right Direction
The new advertisement rules can truly be perceived as something positive. Even though gambling is often advertised as an immensely fun activity, and free spins are promoted as risk-free, there are nuances that need to be taken into consideration, not least of all the infamous wagering requirements that create a contract between the operator and customer.
Many campaigns have been undertaken to stave off the negative effects of gambling. A particularly vulnerable group may be the youths under the age of 18. However, the campaigns have become efficient in targeting this particular age group.
In addition, online betting has become more transparent as well. Gamers can now follow through with their gambling and betting forays more closely as they will be able to peruse all their deposits and spendings for the past three months, which is a nice way to keep track of one’s spendings and often invite a modicum of self-check.
The New Orders and the Old Order
The new regulations have been a source of many fines for bookmakers and online operators who have been slow to adapt to the changes. 32Red was one of the latest operators to be hit in a problem gambler scandal. While the industry is trying to find its feet, it’s likely to hear of more such cases in the near future.
