How the UK Is Making Online Gambling Safer for Everyone

Online gambling has exploded in popularity in the United Kingdom in recent years, as more and more people saw the clear advantages of using a computer or smartphone to gamble instead of heading out to a casino or shop. As a result, the authorities have been introducing a raft of measures to keep people safe from gambling harms. 

The UK is a leader in gambling — online and at physical locations — and the sector is worth around £14.3 billion annually, according to the most recent figures from the gambling regulator, the UK Gambling Commission. This huge figure, compiled from October 2018 to September 2019, comprises gambling and betting at casinos and shops as well as bingo and local and national lotteries. The online gambling sector makes up £3.2 billion of the sum, an almost 4% rise on the same period a year earlier. 

That’s because lots of people have discovered the best live casinos on the internet where they can bet and play their favourite games. They can do so via desktop, laptop, tablet and, increasingly, smartphones, as a growing number of casino operators have developed and launched sophisticated sites that function on the range of popular devices in use today. Many sites even have live-dealer features that give players a real casino feel. 

Clamping down and Cleaning up

The Gambling Commission, a government body established in 2007 that has wide-ranging powers, has been introducing rules in the last two years that have seen rogue casino operators either shut down or issued with hefty fines. It wants a fairer playing field for those who use online casinos; to keep young people away from them and to ensure that those who have a problem with gambling are not permitted to use them. 

Earlier this year, for instance, the commission handed out a record £11.6m penalty to global online gambling giant Betway over failures to verify the origin of its customers’ money when one customer bet over £8 million with the firm’s brands and lost at least half of it. In another case that caused trouble for Betway, a customer lost £187,000 and the firm had hardly any interaction with them. In the last year, the commission has dished out over £19 million in fines to British online gambling operators that failed to comply with its rules. 

The commission has also banned the use of credit cards for online gambling, arguing that people should not be placing bets with money they do not have. The ban, which came into effect in April, prevents the estimated 800,000 people in the UK who had been using credit cards to gamble from doing so. “Credit card gambling can lead to significant financial harm. The ban that we have announced today should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have,” commission chief Neil McArthur said in announcing the prohibition earlier this year.  

Other Measures to Make Online Gambling Better

Along with fines and bans, the gambling commission has also brought in measures relating to how online gambling operators advertise their products — particularly so that ads shouldn’t be misleading or appeal in any way to children. Online casinos are also required to have stringent age-verification procedures so that youths cannot set up accounts and start gambling. 

Additionally, online casinos must act fairly in how they handle their customers’ cash. They can’t hold onto cash or be slow paying out winnings, for instance. Instead, money must be handed over promptly. It’s all part of making the online gambling experience safe and enjoyable for all and keeping those who shouldn’t be gambling away from sites.

In the years to come, it’s surely a safe bet online gambling in the UK will be bigger and better than ever.