The British Gambling Commission has released a list of modifications that it will make to its license conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) in an effort to help protect gamblers and make the activity a lot safer and fairer for players.
The new set of rules is set to raise the bar for the alternative dispute resolution program that has already been established. It will also bolster the number of requirements licensees would have to undertake when interacting with clients, especially when identifying who may be at risk of or is currently experiencing problem gambling.
The rules will also pave the way for better resource funding of research, prevention, and treatment of gambling addiction.
The most recent changes come after an open consultation and will be gradually introduced with the first set of new rules that would be introduced in October 2019. They will apply to all licenses except those for gaming machines and software licenses.
Gambling operators will now be required to make use of only alternative dispute resolution services that are in line with the Commission’s new standards, on top of the existing rules and regulations. This will make sure that alternative dispute resolution firms deliver consistent customer service, decision-making, and governance for customers who have to turn to their services.
The changes would also impact how customers interact with operators. Providers will now need to focus more on the result of identifying and dealing with players who show signs of having a gambling problem and the corresponding risks.
They will also be asked to evaluate the impact that interaction has on a customer, as well as the effectiveness of their overall technique to problem gamblers.
Additionally, the Commission is encouraging all operators to fulfill their targets when it comes to voluntarily contributing to funding research into the prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm.
Further new rules will come into effect on January 2020. They will make sure that funds contributed by operators in the gambling industry are used to help deliver the Commission’s National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms in Britain.
The regulator has also declared that it would publish a list of charities and other bodies that operators can donate funds to as part of the new regulation.
Paul Hope, the Commission’s executive director, said: “These changes have been designed to make gambling fairer and safer for consumers.”
