GamCare warns of rise in calls related to online slots
The charity has published data showing the disparity in problems reported with slots and sports betting.
UK.- GamCare, the body that runs the UK National Gambling Helpline, has raised concerns about an increase in the number of people seeking help in relation to online slots. That increase contrasts with a drop in the number of people reporting problems with sports betting.
It says that the proportion of callers to the National Gambling Helpline seeking help with slots increased from 34 per cent in 2018-2019 to 60 per cent in 2022-2023. Meanwhile, the proportion of callers reporting problems with sports betting fell from 34 per cent to 20 per cent.
The charity said that the figures suggest sports betting operators may have made more progress on player and responsible gambling measures than online casino operators. There was, however, an increase in the proportion of people reporting problems with betting exchanges, from 0.3 per cent to 7.6 per cent.
Colin Walsh, GamCare’s lived experience manager, said: “There is still a perception that gambling harm predominantly comes from betting on horses or sports events. In the past five years, we have broadly seen a trend where people often start gambling on these activities but eventually transition into other areas of online gambling, where it can be easy to lose sight of how much time and money is being spent.
“The data highlights that it is now disproportionately online slots that are the main challenge for many people who call the National Gambling Helpline.”
He added: “I know from my own experience – and the experiences of those in my network – how difficult this form of gambling can be, and how isolating it can feel if you find yourself caught in a negative cycle. But I also know that it is possible to get through it and that there is free help for anyone struggling with it.”
New measures on online slots
The UK government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sports is currently consulting on proposals to introduce maximum stake limits for online slots to bring them in line with land-based machines. This week, it announced that it would put the deadline for submissions back to October 4 due to an error in the data included in the consultation document.
Meanwhile, the British Gambling Commission is also currently conducting consultations outlined in the Gambling White Paper. It has four consultations running focusing on online game design, financial risk checks for online gambling, direct marketing and cross-selling and age verification at land-based gambling venues.
CEO Andrew Rhodes has said that the consultation on financial risk checks is the most challenging and he has clashed with the industry and media, accusing Racing Post of publishing “imbalanced stories” about the proposals.
