Interactive
UK – UK Gambling Commission brings in new online measures
By Phil - 29 June 2017New regulations aimed at ensuring online operators offer all consumers in Britain the same tools to monitor their gambling have been introduced.
Following a consultation earlier this year, new measures will enhance protections in place by helping consumers make informed decisions about their online gambling activity.
The new requirements mean remote operators must ensure consumers are able to directly access three months’ worth of account and gambling information, with a minimum period of 12 months available on request.
They must ensure account and gambling history provides easy to understand totals for a defined period (for example, the ability to be able to view transaction history for the previous two months). They need to give consumers access to information about their net deposits (ie the running total of all deposits minus the sum of all withdrawals).
They must also allow consumers to set financial limits across their entire gambling account as well as individual games.
Sharon McNair, programme director at the Gambling Commission said: “Consumers must be able to make informed decisions about their online gambling activity. The findings of our recent consultation indicate that there are differences in approach amongst licensees in relation to the level of information available to their consumers and the ease by which that information is accessible. The new requirements seek to address this and ensure greater consistency in the information available to consumers regardless of who they choose to gamble with.
“Gambling operators must see beyond the bottom line, and ensure both new and existing gambling products are effectively managing the risks to the licensing objectives, keeping gambling safe and fair for all.”
An updated remote gambling and software technical standards is now published, but operators have until 1 April 2018 to ensure the above requirements have been implemented. There are a number of additional requirements concerning information displayed to players that will come into effect 1 October 2017.
Mrs McNair added: “Innovation and technological advancement continues to drive growth in the £4.5billion a year online gambling market. We are seeing operators developing new gambling products and technologies every day – something that it is vital to the further advancement of the sector.
“But as the industry transforms, operators are reminded that we too will continue to adapt our regulation to raise standards across all gambling sectors and enhance the protections available for consumers.”.
In other news, HM Government has published The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 which came into effect on 26 June 2017.
This comes following a period of transposition of the EU 4th Money Laundering Directive and replaces the previous Money Laundering Regulations 2007.
All casino operators both non-remote and remote (online) must comply with the new requirements and will need to ensure they have effective measures in place.
Richard Watson, programme director said: “We welcome the new Regulations, which supports our licensing objective of keeping gambling crime free.”
“We are currently in the process of revising our anti-money laundering guidance to reflect the new Regulations – operators are reminded they need to take their anti-money laundering responsibilities seriously and implement the necessary changes.”
Operators will be invited to feedback on the proposed changes to our guidance (The Prevention of Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism – guidance for remote and non-remote casinos) via a consultation.
