Proposed is the implementation of five gaming machine standards and a social responsibility code for players.
This could include time and monetary limits and the functionality behind these measures, safer gambling messaging and the display of net position and session times.
Gaming machine technical standards and testing strategies are also being updated to “remove obsolete material”, the Commission said.
The regulator is also considering consolidating the current 12 gaming machine technical standards into one single standard. The standard’s format will also be amended so it is “more consistent” and provides greater clarity on the Commission’s remote gambling and software technical standards.
“We recognise that regulatory changes that impact the design of machines can come with considerable costs,” Gambling Commission executive director for research and policy Tim Miller said in a statement.
Miller added that the Commission is encouraging consumers, gambling businesses and other interested groups to “share evidence that will assist us in measuring both the likely regulatory impacts of the proposed changes and the likely costs of implementing them. This evidence will be invaluable to helping make a robust assessment on whether the benefits to consumers are proportionate to the costs involved.”
The open consultation, launched on 29 January, is expected to run for sixteen weeks, closing on 20 May. This is the third consultation ignited by the Commission as part of its white paper reforms.
Gambling Commission consultations and white paper review implementation
The UK gambling watchdog published a Gambling Act review white paper last year that demarcated an overhaul of the UK’s regulatory system.
The Gambling Act was originally passed in 2005. Its review was initiated by the previous Conservative government to strengthen consumer protections, curb industry exploitation and establish modern standards.
Some changes noted in the white paper have already been implemented by the Commission.
These include measures on online slots stake limits and a statutory levy to fund research, education and treatment. To protect consumers, the white paper has put forward that an operationally independent gambling ombudsman position be created.
Additionally, the white paper has brought about additional affordability checks for online operators. In August last year a number of top tier operators committed to “passive” checks on players who post net gambling deposits of £500 a month, this will be increased in February to £150.
“No more consultations”
Last year, Carolyn Harris, chair of the gambling related harms All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) welcomed the Commission’s white paper but criticised further consultations on introducing its measures.
Speaking last April, Harris said: “We don’t need more consultations. We’ve had two and a half years since the review. We need swift action, immediate implementation of the proposals and urgent legislative change where it is necessary after 18 years of the gambling industry’s dominance over this agenda.”
In January, it introduced rules that reduce the “speed and intensity” of online casino products. It banned features that speed up the time for results to be shown, such as ‘turbo’ or ‘slam shots’. Audio or visual celebration for returns that are lower than or equal to stake bets was also prohibited, as well as operator functionality that enabled the playing of multiple products at the same time.
These measures have been in place for online slots since 2021, but have been updated to include poker, bingo and other casino games.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/gaming/gaming-regulation/gambling-commission-launches-latest-consultation-on-gaming-machine-technical-standards/
