The Government white paper on gambling is called: High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age.
One of the main aspects of the paper is to better protect players from unsustainable losses by making gambling operators act earlier with affordability checks. They are also planning to consult on measures to give greater protections for 18–24 year olds who the evidence shows are at heightened risk of harm.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at these recommendations.
Statutory Gambling Operator Levy
Currently there is a voluntary levy for gambling operators, but not all betting companies pay their fair share and some have paid as little as ￡1. It is felt that this is no longer fit for purpose and that a new statutory gambling operator levy should be introduced with its proceeds going towards funding for research, education and treatment, including through the NHS.
The government’s priority is to ensure there is sufficient long-term funding for high-quality research and treatment of gambling harm and addiction. The levy will be collected by the Gambling Commission and the rate will be subject to further consultation, which will take into account factors such as business size, operating costs and problem gambling rates.
New Online Stake Limit
At the moment there is no limit on the maximum bet size for online slots, but physical slot machines are subject to some control. Any slot game in a pub, arcade, or bookmaker has a ￡2 max bet per spin, and brick-and-mortar casinos have limits of up to ￡5.
It is proposed that a new stake limit for online slots be introduced, with a maximum stake of between ￡2 and ￡15 per spin. The exact details are subject to consultation. The measure will help prevent runaway and life-changing losses and bring the online rules into line with land-based gambling venues.
The government will also launch a consultation on options for specific protections for under 25s, including a lower stake limit or other controls. This is because research by Public Health England has shown younger adults are more vulnerable to harm from gambling.
Player Protection Checks
The government wants gambling operators to do more to protect and support those who may be suffering harm or in the grip of addiction. They will expect betting companies to act earlier to conduct player protection checks on the highest spending gamblers to check they’re not incurring harmful losses.
These checks should be seamless and happen instantaneously, targeted to where there is the most risk of harm. This should not impact gameplay in any way, unless there are signs of financial harm for example if people have declared bankruptcy, or are racking up debts to fund their gambling.
It is anticipated that around eight in ten players will never undergo checks. Checks will happen in the background against information already available online, so those who are checked will not notice.
Only about three percent of the highest spending accounts will have to undergo more detailed checks. It is said that these will be of a similar nature to credit checks when you buy products through online credit agencies or sign up to some mobile phone contracts.
Changes to Casino Bonus Offers
There are already rules around how free spins and free bets may be advertised, but the Gambling Commission plans to take a closer look at how casino bonuses are constructed to prevent harmful behaviour and/or people being encouraged to spend more than they intend.
The changes are likely to affect the way bonuses can be marketed, and particularly those designed to re-engage lapsed players through intensive, targeted advertising. There will also be a review of the way sites use VIP schemes, as these often encourage players to spend more than they may otherwise do so.
When it comes to sign-up bonuses there may also be new restrictions, but the Government is aware of the reported increase in unregulated gambling operators in Sweden after they introduced restrictions on most bonuses.
Underage Gambling
The government confirmed in its white paper that it will remove loopholes to prevent under-18s from accessing any form of online gambling, cash prize fruit machines or widely accessible scratchcards.
The National Lottery has recently raised its minimum age to 18, but current exceptions still exist for some scratch cards, and the football pools where the minimum age is 16.
Young people aged 18 to 24 years old can be particularly vulnerable to gambling related harm and the Government wants to consult on any additional measures that can be put in place to further protect this group. This may include lower thresholds for online financial risk checks, and lower limits on online slot stakes.
Real Money Game Design
There will be a further review of online game design rules to look at limiting characteristics which exacerbate risks, such as the speed of play. In October 2021, the Gambling Commission introduced new rules specifically for online slot games to limit certain features associated with increased risk of harmful play. This included:
- The speed of play for slot games is limited to at least 2.5 seconds per spin
- A prohibition on animations that show losses disguised as wins
- A ban on features which increase the intensity of play, or give an illusion of control such as ‘slam stops’ or ‘turbo modes’
- The removal of auto-play or any features that enable concurrent play on multiple slot games
- Slots must also display the money and time spent during a session
There are currently no guidelines in place for other online casino games, and there are concerns that some titles, like Speed Roulette style games, may facilitate harmful gambling behaviour.
New Powers for the Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission will get new powers to tackle and block unlicensed black market gambling firms from operating in the United Kingdom. It will do so through court orders and work with ISPs.
Find out more about Gambling law in the UK in our extensive guide.
