SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)has detailed its full support of the UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) ‘collaborative measures’ to reduce gambling harms by improving industry practices.
Yesterday afternoon, UKGC Chief Executive Neil McArthur unveiled the Commission’s action plan outlining industry-wide measures and directives and VIP programmes, advertising protections and safer gambling product designs.
Co-operating with industry leadership, the UKGC developed its desired plan in which the BGC played a key role in developing ‘working groups’ formed by executives of 30 UK operators.
Headline measures will see UK operators forced to prevent customers under the age of 25 from engaging with VIP programmes and incentives – a requirement which will be implemented from 14 April.
Furthermore, betting firms will strengthen the industry’s advertising code by applying new Adtech-led measures to stop young audiences engaging with gambling-led content.
At a product level, UK incumbents will remove in-play casino game features such as slam stops and turbo buttons, in addition to prohibiting split-screen play.
Welcoming new directives Brigid Simmonds, Chairman of the new standards body the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “The progress reported today including restricting under 25’s from qualifying for high-value customer accounts; strengthened advertising rules and games with slower speeds and the removal of some functionality comes despite difficult operating circumstances during the COVID-19 crisis.
“These measures, along with our recently announced 10 pledge action plan for COVID-19 safer gambling and our 22 industry safer gambling commitments, will significantly transform and improve the environment for our customers and the wider public. We agree with the Gambling Commission that there is still more work to do and we will rise to the ongoing challenge.”
