Constant Evolution of the UK Online Casino Market
$6,000 Welcome Bonus
There are a lot of ongoing changes in the UK gambling sector. As technology advances and new types of games hit the marketplace, the regulators are making sure that they stay on top of all of the latest developments. They want to make sure that at-risk gamblers are not getting exposed to any detrimental types of games.
With the prevalence of online gambling, it has never been easier to play casino games. Therefore, the chances of a person developing a gambling problem have only increased. The UK authorities do their best to try to limit potential damage as much as possible. This article will look at the different ways in which this is achieved.
What does the UKGC do?
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the chief regulator of gambling operations in the UK. It has a wide-ranging remit, covering most forms of gambling. It is tasked with issuing licenses, regulating the sector, and continually developing the rules and regulations of the UK gambling sector.
It is known for being one of the top regulators in the global gambling space. This is particularly the case when it comes to responsible gambling. Licensees have to follow a strict ruleset when it comes to how they interact with their customers and the types of products and services that they offer.
What is GamStop?
In recent years, the UKGC has been leading the charge of introducing restrictions on UK online casinos. This includes the introduction of a ban on people utilizing a credit card for conducting gambling transactions, banning certain in-game features, and curtailing VIP programs. With the UK government currently receiving outdated gambling legislation, it is expected that further changes will be coming to the sector in the near future.
As the gambling sector is so large the UKGC relies on help from other bodies in order to properly protect gamblers. One of these groups is GamStop, a self-exclusion offering. You are able to exclude yourself from every single UKGC-licensed platform with just a single click. There is the option to do this for six months, one year, or even five years. This means that you cannot use an online gambling account with one of these platforms until the self-exclusion period eventually expires.
Other Problem Gambling Resources
As well as the activities of UKGC and GamStop, there are a number of other organizations that strive to help people to control their gambling. Numerous charities are working across the UK to provide support to people. Some of these groups lobby politicians to bring in stricter rules on the gambling sector. They also provide resources to people who might have a problem with gambling, while certain groups provide direct help and treatment to people. These groups are always striving for a safer environment.
A number of companies are also now offering their own forms of gambling blocking software. As GamStop only covers UKGC-licensed sites, people will still be able to use non-GamStop casinos. These are platforms that are based overseas and fall outside of the remit of the UKGC.
However, some companies offer gambling blocking software that will cover nearly every type of gambling site, no matter where it is based or regulated. This is because you will download software to your desktop or mobile phone, which will block you from accessing gambling-related websites and apps. Some of these offerings require you to pay a monthly subscription.
People are often surrounded by gambling advertising, whether it is online or on television. If you are regularly browsing the internet or social media and coming across these types of ads, you can always use a tool like adblocker to make sure that you are no longer getting exposed to these pro-gambling messages.
If you want to take further measures to make sure that you are not spending money on gambling, you can usually put a block in place on your bank account. This will prevent you from sending money from your bank account to gambling websites. This cuts the issue at source a lot of the times when it comes to online gambling.
An emerging trend
UKGC-licensed platforms clearly have a lot going for them. They provide a superior level of consumer protection to gamblers in the UK by making sure that the licensees are all operating their platforms in an above-board manner. They also ensure that at-risk gamblers are protected by implementing extensive rules and regulations on the activities of casino sites. If you are looking for the best regulator for responsible gambling, UKGC is the clear winner.
However, certain UK gamblers are able to fully control their gambling and they do not enjoy the restrictions that the UKGC places upon them. This is why a growing trend has emerged of people moving to so-called non-GamStop casinos. These platforms are based overseas and often offer a lot more freedom to people through non-UK casino sites.
There are no curtailments on payment methods, a huge collection of games is usually available, and bet sizes are often bigger. Many of these platforms have their own responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits and self-exclusion.
However, it is extremely important that people who are self-excluding through GamStop do not try to get around these curtailments by using non-GamStop casinos. Otherwise, this can cause huge problems. Only people who have total control over their gambling should even consider utilizing these types of platforms.
H2-6 Enjoying gambling in a safe manner
The UK gambling market is constantly expanding as more and more people start playing at online casinos. Restrictions on players are always increasing as the popularity grows. This is to make sure that people do not develop any problem gambling behaviour.
Gambling is an activity that should always be done in a responsible manner. Once you can do so, there is a huge amount of fun that you can have playing the engaging and exciting casino games that are available on the market today.
