UKGC unveils three new industry working groups

The groups announced by the UKGC aim to accelerate progress to raise standards and reduce gambling harm in the UK.

UK.- The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has unveiled that three industry groups have been created to make gambling safer. The working groups will be led by senior industry leaders and will tackle high-value customer incentives, advertising online and responsible product design.

The UKGC said that this initiative follows a briefing to industry leaders late last year, in which the commission’s CEO Neil McArthur laid down three challenges and opportunities that the industry must grasp to raise standards and reduce harms across the sector.

The group will focus on game and product design, advertising technology and high-value customer incentives to gamble.

UKGC chief executive Neil McArthur said: “Consumer behaviour and technology are changing so quickly that only a bold and innovative approach will allow us to achieve a reduction in the numbers of people experiencing, or at risk from, gambling-related harm.

“I’ve been encouraged by the willingness of so many operators to work with us on these challenges. We’ve set a demanding timetable for progress because we cannot proceed at the speed of the slowest. If rapid progress is not made then we will have to look at other options, as making gambling safer for consumers is paramount.”

UKGC sets new self-exclusion scheme

All online gambling operators in the UK will be forced to participate in the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP from March. According to a new directive from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), this makes the coverage of GAMSTOP comprehensive.

This scheme was developed for the online sector and allows consumers to self-exclude from online operators with one request, instead than having to do so with each operator individually. The UKGC said that this will make access to self-exclusion much simpler for those who wish to be prevented from online gambling.