The Gambling industry watchdog, Senet Group, has reiterated its commitment to promote responsible gambling. It recently signed five top UK brands that are willing to ensure consumer safety. The five brands which signed up to Senet Group are GVC, Paddy Power Betfair, William Hill, SkyBet and Scotbet.
Responsible gambling is quickly becoming a hot topic in the UK. The UK Gambling Commission is also taking a renewed interest in this area and has planned some changes to the industry. Their moves are being backed by the British operators as well.
In 2018, the country debated on the fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). The issue went out of hand and then sports minister Tracey Crouch even resigned from his post, forcing the government to take action. Crouch noted that the planned reduction of maximum stakes on these machines from £100 to £2 was being deferred to protect business interests.
The Theresa May government had planned to slash the FOBT stakes in October 2019. It also wanted to introduce a Remote Gaming Duty and increase the tax on online casinos from 15% to 21%. The authorities caved into the pressure and implemented FOBT stakes reduction in April.
All the newest members of the Senet Group will implement similar measures in Northern Ireland as well. Interestingly, the local government hasn’t taken any concrete measures against FOBTs despite rising problems. SkyBet has also opted into a voluntary watershed ban. They will limit ads to one per break- a vision they have been promoting to other operators as well. The Senet Group is adding participants to raise the standards across the industry.
Sarah Hanratty from the Senet Group commented that the sector still has a long way to go and still needs to collaborate on testing, developing and sharing inventions which work. She said that adding established names will help in bringing industry-wide changes. The Group prioritizes overcoming reckless gambling behavior and spotting symptoms of gambling addiction in customers.
The UK Gambling Commission is also doing its fair share of promoting responsible gambling in the country. The Commission is interested in establishing safe practices for eradicating burning issues like gambling addiction, overspending, and underage gaming. The latest moves by the UKGC help in tightening their grip on the industry. This year, it is planning to address issues related to operators’ handling of customers and how affiliates prepare materials. Some operators could be misleading consumers and be punished by the UKGC if found guilty.
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