The Gambling Commission have announced tighter controls on online gambling. The new controls will have to be in place by 31st October 2021 and to try and make online casino games less intensive and safer for users.
The measures will enforce online casinos to redesign their online slots with the following changes:
Online slot features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome have been banned. This is commonly included in online slots where you can pick an option like a treasure chest out of a possible of three, however your choice will not make a difference as the result has already been decided.
Online slot spin speeds faster than 2.5 seconds have been banned.
Online slot auto play will be banned as the gambling commission have advised this can lead to players losing track of their play.
Online slots sounds or imagery which give the illusion of a win when the return is in fact equal to, or below, a stake has been banned.
The Gambling Commission have mainly focused on online slots as these gambling products have the highest average loss per player and cover almost 70% of the online casino games that are played.
Other measures will be introduced, including the stopping of reverse withdrawals on all online gambling, this is where a player has already requested a withdrawal and asks for it to be cancelled before it has been processed back to the players bank/payment account.
There must be a clear display of the players overall win or loss and time played during the online slot session.
Neil McArthur, Gambling Commission chief executive, said: “To make online games safer we are introducing a ban on features that speed up play, or give the illusion of control over the outcome. We are also introducing a ban on autoplay, losses disguised as wins, and slot spin speeds faster than 2.5 seconds. The evidence shows that these features increase the risk of harm to customers.
“This is another important step in making gambling safer and where the evidence shows that there are other opportunities to do that we are determined to take them.”
Minister for Sports, Tourism and Heritage Nigel Huddleston said: “Today's steps will help curb the intensity of online gambling, introducing greater protections that will reduce the risk of gambling related harm.
“I welcome the Gambling Commission's tough measures as we continue our comprehensive review of gambling laws to make sure they're fit for the digital age.”
Our thoughts
We strongly believe in safe and responsible gambling and these changes are a positive step to protect players.
Hopefully going forward, online casinos will see the need to implement positive steps like this without intervention from the Gambling Commission.
What will this mean for Online Casinos?
Online casinos will have to completely redesign many of their online slots and the revenue generated from these games will be greatly reduced.
These changes will not be welcome by the operators and they will be concerned about any further changes that may come in.
Source – Gambling Commission
