UKGC offers more consultations on Gambling Act Review

The UK Gambling Commission has launched its Gambling Act Review Consultations for the summer of the year and will give interested parties a 12-week period to contribute insights that could shape the future of the gambling industry in the United Kingdom.

These consultations are intended to make the industry a fairer and saferhobby for everyone involved, and the regulator is now expecting input from gambling businesses, consumers, and other interested groups who want to help.

The announcement of the consultations was announced by Tim Miller, UKGC Executive Director, who offered a short video update on the regulator’s plans for the consultation.

Miller said that the first group of consultations has to do with crucial areas of the experience, such as financial risk checks, allowing consumers to have a stronger say in what marketing messages are communicated to them, creating sounder protection for young people, and overall improving the design of online games.

These are seen as key pillars to ensure the future of the gaming industry and make it a safer industry, Miller noted. The consultations were detailed by the UKGC in the official announcement outlining them.

The UKGC wants to hear from all relevant stakeholders and public parties on matters such as financial risk and vulnerability obligations on the part of operators and remote game design. In the case of the first, the debate centers around how operators can understand unusually high losses and intervene to aid consumers, shielding them from harm.

As to the design of actual games, there is an ongoing debate to reduce the speed and intensity of play to better protect consumers along the way. Consumers should also have a much stronger say in what kind of marketing products they receive and not receive promotional inducements they do not want to see.

Another matter is the idea of strengthening age verifications, which will obligate even the smallest gambling premises to necessarily check the age of anyone who appears to be under the age of 25.

Miller reminded the public and the industry that this is their way to be heard. The ultimate goal of the proposals, however, is to protect and empower consumers, the executive director noted.

He also added that many of the issues have already been properly addressed in the Government’s White Paper, but now the regulator wants to focus the consultations on how to best implement in practice all of these proposals.

Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew was similarly pleased with the new process and welcomed it: "These consultations give people a chance to have their say and I encourage everyone to make their voice heard." The consultations are now well underway.

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