UK demands more player protection

The UK’s Gambling Commission has announced fresh rules designed to ensure that online gambling operators take more precise action to prevent gambling harm.

The fresh rules will come into force from September 12 and, among other demands, operators must flag up indicators of potential harm and take action.

They should prevent marketing and the take-up of new bonuses for those identified as at risk; monitor their play and interact with consumers they consider to be at risk.

They must also show evidence of their evaluation of players at risk to the commission on a regular basis.

Andrew Rhodes (pictured), CEO of the commission, said: “Time and time again our enforcement cases show that some operators are still not doing enough to prevent gambling harm. These new rules, developed following an extensive consultation, make our expectations even more explicit.

“We expect operators to identify and tackle gambling harms with fast, proportionate and effective action and we will not hesitate to take tough action on operators who fail to do so.”