UK issues tips to operators on complaints handling

The UK Gambling Commission has issued its latest update to the industry and operators as the regulator attempts to navigate the delicate political landscape. As the White Paper, the review of the Gambling Act 2005, has been delayed once again amid the government crisis in the country, the watchdog has continued to craft rules for stakeholders, or at the very least – reinforce existing ones.

In its latest update on policy, the UKGC has offered operators a reminder on how to handle complaints, cautioning them about existing policies and rules. This update comes in the midst of a related review which found shortcomings in how the process has been conducted so far.

The new tips include points about including a link to the complaints section, making the process as clear as possible, and using very plain literary English to communicate any information. All complaints should be handled within an eight-week time window, the UKGC reminds and urges operators to use purpose-built software and technology to assist people with making complaints, among many others.

All current guidance updates will also become part of the upcoming review of the Gambling Act, the UKGC estimates in the update. Its guidance is the result of a review of 34 existing license complaint policies and how easy they are for consumers to use. The regulator used historic data to assess how gamblers react to complaints as well.

According to the regulator, only 8% of gamblers have filed a complaint, but another 4% said that wanted to place one but did not. This means that one-in-ten gamblers actually feel that there is a need to communicate a problem with an operator, but the process often involves too much red tape, making it inefficient for many consumers.

The UKGC admitted that many of the policies in thesector it reviewed were up to scratch, but it still warned that some shortcomings and areas of improvement can be worked on. This, the watchdog reckons, will make it easier for consumers to submit their complaints and make their voices heard easier.

The goal is to make it simple for consumers to place a complaint. Commenting on this goal, UKGC Director of Policy Ian Angus had this to tell operators in the most recent update:

"Good complaints handling is vital in the gambling industry. We want consumers to be able to easily find and understand policies and be able to raise their complaints without any barriers."

Angus noted that the UKGC was aware of the number of complaints businesses receive annually as well, around 200,000 every year. In order to make the process for consumers efficient, though, the regulator will seek to ensure that all complaints are issued well.

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