Gambling Commission seeks views on social responsibility controls

The Gambling Commission has launched a consultation asking for views from the public and the industry on the levels and nature of social responsibility protections that gambling operators must provide.

The consultation comes at a key point for gambling regulation in Great Britain. Public concern about gambling is heightened. Advances in technology and changes in consumer preference are offering new opportunities to target gambling-related harm while not unduly constraining safe leisure gambling. Operators are coming to terms increasingly with taking prime responsibility for their products, which are fun for most but pose real risk of serious harm for some. The new laws on online gambling mean that effective and proportionate harm prevention measures can be implemented across the board without our licensees being undercut by operators from less demanding jurisdictions.

The consultation proposes a number of specific changes to social responsibility provisions in the light of experience (for example, participation in a national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling and the introduction of compulsory third party testing for the majority of operators). It also invites informed public debate on how far to constrain the leisure pursuits of the many to prevent serious harm to the few.

This consultation offers an opportunity for everyone to have their say on these critical questions.