As the online casino and sports betting industry has been steadily increasing over the past decade, so too has awareness of responsible gambling. Operators have become responsible for caring for their customers and helping to promote safer gambling.
Over the years, gambling regulations have been changing and adapting, and even more gambling management tools and advice is available than ever before for players. Whether players are betting on sporting events or gambling on casino games, organisations such as BeGambleAware are there to work with responsible operators and players to encourage and promote safer gambling.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Safer Gambling Week helps promote safer gambling each year with their campaign. The campaign aims to create conversation between people, drive awareness of how to gamble more safely, highlight what advice and support is available, and indicates which tools can help gamblers all year round.
The UK Gambling Commission & The Credit Card Ban
Businesses that are providing gambling in Great Britain are regulated and licensed by the Gambling Commission, an organisation that was set up under the Gambling Act 2005. Whether operators are running betting, lotteries, casinos, and even arcades, this commission provides them with a license. In their licence conditions and codes of practice, they outline the requirements that companies need to meet in order to hold an operating licence.
The commission will take action against any operators or individuals that are not following the rules and will use their regulatory powers to take enforcement action. After a recent review of online gaming, the organisation announced that a credit card ban was to be introduced for gambling, put into effect in April 2020. The chief executive Neil McArthur highlighted how for some individuals, credit card gambling can lead to “…significant financial harm.” He also stated that the announced ban “…should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have.”
Seeking Help With Self-Exclusion Tools & Gambling Software
Over the years there has also been much progress made towards supplying gamblers with ways to curb their gambling activities. Much information, advice, and support, can be found online that highlights how players can manage their gambling safely, which helplines and support are available, and providing an insight into the common indicators of problem gambling.
Tools for self-exclusion have also been developed so that players can limit their access to online gambling services. BetBlocker, GamBlock, and Gamban are just some useful gambling blocking software that players can download onto devices to limit their access to gambling websites. GamStop is one example of a free online self-exclusion that can help players restrict their online gambling for companies licenced in Great Britain. Players can sign up to a GamStop account and restrict themselves for a specified period of time.
Support & Advice From Professional Organisations
When gambling gets out of hand, players might seek out help and support online. There are many charities and organisations, both old and relatively new, that help to educate people on gambling and the issues of problem gambling. There are even organisations such as Gamblers Anonymous that have been supporting compulsive gamblers since 1957.
BeGambleAware is a useful website that provides information that can help people make safe and informed decisions about their gambling. They provide information on help and support avenues, educate people on what safer gambling means, and also help people recognise the risks associated with gambling.
On their website they have useful advice for safer gambling including the importance of setting both money and time limits for gambling. They indicate how it’s important for players to decide how much they can afford to lose before they play so that they are not out of pocket. They also highlight how easy it is to lose track of time when gambling, therefore setting a time limit can help players know when it is time for them to quit.
