The seventh edition of Safer Gambling Week is now underway, taking place from November 13 to 19, with the UK gambling industry rallying together to advocate for safer gambling practices. More voices have now joined these efforts, highlighting the importance of fostering a responsible gambling industry and providing consumers with tools to keep their gaming safe.
Among those supporting the efforts is The Health Lottery, which operates on behalf of twelve local society lotteries across Great Britain. Lebby Eyres, CEO, said: “The Health Lottery is committed to responsible gambling and is always pleased to show its support for Safer Gambling Week. We will be distributing enhanced safer gambling messaging directly to players and on social media throughout the week.
The Health Lottery also announced it has arranged additional staff training to make sure the team keeps the vulnerable “firmly at the forefront” of what the operator does, according to the lottery’s boss.
“Safer Gambling Week is a valuable opportunity to encourage everyone who gambles to take time out to think about how much time and money they spend,” added Eyres. “For those who recognize that they may have lost their way, it’s about reminding them of the tools that are available and urging them to seek help at the earliest opportunity, in order to take back control of their lives.
The impact of the UK gambling review
This year’s Safer Gambling Week is especially important given it comes in the midst of a review of the UK’s gambling laws, reason why firm Poppleston Allen will be running an extensive social media campaign to promote responsible gaming throughout its network.
Felix Faulkner, solicitor at Poppleston Allen, said: “Unfortunately, this year we have seen several failings from gambling operators on the social responsibility front, with some large financial penalties handed out by the Gambling Commission and also the relatively rarely used sanction of a license suspension.
“In addition, we’ve seen a number of operators fall foul of the rules related to the prohibition of gambling marketing with ‘strong appeal’ to children introduced by the Committee for Advertising Practice last year. In particular, there have been several cases where operators persist with arguments that the Advertising Standards Authority has already made clear it does not agree with.”
While Faulkner highlights that the “vast majority” of gambling operators in the UK market act responsibly, he noted that the few that do not may generate negative press that taints the entire industry. “Safer Gambling Week is a good time to urge all operators to have systems in place to ensure they stay well within the current rules and regulations,” Faulkner added.
“With a general election looming, we expect that some of the proposals in the White Paper and the subsequent consultations may fall by the wayside, but we believe those related to safer gambling are the most likely to be prioritized by the current government. Specifically, these include proposals such as a gambling ombudsman and the statutory levy.”
Affiliates also join calls for safer gambling
The affiliate sector has also commented on the significance of Safer Gambling Week. Affiliates generate a significant percentage of the new customers delivered to gaming companies in the UK and, for many players, they are the first point of contact with a gambling website.
Therefore, it is important affiliates have a strong sense of responsibility towards players and that they are invested in promoting safer gambling as the operators they work with are, says Andrew Lee, group operations director at QiH Group.
“We are fully behind this year’s Safer Gambling Week, with support for its social media campaign and also our own social media activity. It’s important to remember though that it isn’t just about one week; responsible gambling should be something all companies involved in the industry are constantly thinking about.”
For this reason, QiH Group regularly raises awareness of the topic in weekly staff meetings throughout the year, explains Lee. The company also makes sure new staff receive adequate training in the area.
“Compliance is embedded in the DNA of our company and we always take care not to push the boundaries in terms of our advertising. There is sometimes a very thin line between being compliant and non-compliant and we don’t want to be close to that line,” the executive explained.
“Affiliates have a duty to advertise responsibly and many operator partners also have specific requirements in terms of links to responsible gambling organizations, but this should be seen as a minimum and there’s no reason affiliates can’t go above and beyond that.”
Organized by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), BACTA, and the Bingo Association, the annual Safer Gambling Week event aims to intensify efforts in promoting responsible gambling. The focus is on showcasing available tools that empower customers to remain in control of their gambling activities and providing assistance to those seeking help and advice.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2023/11/13/69635-more-uk-industry-voices-join-safer-gambling-week-promotion-efforts
