Gambling - Gambling Commission announces package of changes

Following a consultation last Summer, the Gambling Commission have announced a range of new measures Operators will need to implement aimed at protecting players further.

The changes are designed to make online casino games less intensive, safer by design and hand players more control over their gambling.

The Commission has focused on online slots. The Commissions’ Covid data published earlier in January, shows the average spend per slots player is £67 per month, compared with £36 for casino products and £45 for real event betting.

The new rules include the outright ban of four key features of online slots games:

1. Features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome
2. Slot spin speeds faster than 2.5 seconds
3. Auto-play - which can lead to players losing track of their play, and;
4. Sounds or imagery which give the illusion of a win when the return is in fact equal to, or below, a stake

Other changes include:

• Operators must clearly display to the player their total losses or wins and time played during any online slots session.
• Alongside the changes for online slots the Commission has also introduced a permanent ban on reverse withdrawals for all online gambling – this function previously allowed consumers to re-gamble money they had previously requested to withdraw.

The enhanced protections will need to be fully implemented by online operators by 31 October 2021.