Betting and Gaming Council to look at VIPs with new industry code
New pledges released as part of 10 safer gambling commitments
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) will introduce a code of practice around the handling of VIP players and operator inducements to gamble in H1 2020, the trade group has announced.
Full details of the code have not been disclosed, however EGR understands one of the measures will see the requirement for comprehensive source of wealth checks before customers can place certain types of bets.
The BGC said it will introduce a ban on any hospitality being given to players who are deemed to be at risk of gambling related harm, together with new rules preventing operators from giving staff members cash bonuses for attracting and retaining VIP players.
Individuals with a history of self-exclusion will be barred from specific products or groups of products under the new code, although the specific details of which products have not yet been confirmed.
Under the code, operators will be required to close the loyalty or VIP accounts of any customer who elects to self-exclude from gambling-related services.
In addition, the code commits operators to continual monitoring of betting activity and regular safer gambling interactions.
Brigid Simmonds OBE, chair of the Betting and Gaming Council said the new code of practice would aim to set “the highest standards” in protecting loyalty and VIP customers as part of its safer gambling commitments.
“We will be consulting with operators, the regulator, charities and other stakeholders on the new code,” Simmonds said.
The BGC formally launched earlier this year with ten of the UK’s biggest operators agreeing ten safer gambling pledges, including the development of the code of conduct.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has singled out VIP gambling as part of wider concerns about affordability checks being conducted by operators in its 2018-19 enforcement report, calling for greater action in this area.
In an interview with EGR Intel UKGC CEO Neil McArthur claimed there were “additional risks” on VIP and high rollers, particularly in respect of AML that required increased scrutiny from operators.
The bosses of William Hill, Flutter, bet365 and SkyBet were grilled on their operator VIP strategies by the All Party Parliamentary Betting and Gaming Group in September.
At the hearings, William Hill online MD Phil Walker claimed Hills had closed over 30% of its VIP accounts during the last year as part of measures to reduce gambling-related harm.