GVC and Sky Betting & Gaming team up with Gambling Commission to launch RG working groups
Playtech and Scientific Games to advise on “bold and innovative” collaborative project to address advertising and VIP incentives
Four top-tier gambling firms have joined forces with the UK Gambling Commission to launch a series of working group designed to rapidly reduce harm across the sector.
GVC, Sky Betting & Gaming (SBG), Playtech and Scientific Games will take the lead on the first-of-its-kind initiative, which begins with the formation of three sector-specific working groups.
Scientific Games and Playtech have committed to leading work on producing an effective industry-wide code for product design, while SBG will oversee the regulator’s advertising technology working group.
GVC – in close cooperation with the Betting and Gaming Council – will take charge of a third group to address issues relating to VIP inducements to gamble.
This group will focus on bonuses, hospitality and gifts associated with VIP programmes – a sector which has been under intense scrutiny since the turn of the year.
Speaking about the working group plan of action, UKGC CEO Neil McArthur said the wanted to see an improvement in public confidence in gambling, something which he said could only happen if there is a “significant reduction” in problem gambling rates.
“The industry must move more quickly to address these issues which is why we have set out tough challenges that they need to tackle together, bringing together expertise and experience from across the industry,” said McArthur.
“Consumer behaviour and technology are changing so quickly that simply seeking incremental improvement will not keep pace with the emerging risks and opportunities.
“Only a bold and innovative approach will allow us to achieve the reduction in the numbers of people experiencing or at risk from gambling-related harm that we need to see,” he added.
Addressing the entire industry, McArthur said he expects to see serious progress by April 2020 as “the pace should no longer be set by the slowest or the least willing”.
Elsewhere, the UKGC issued a reminder to operators to check that their games meet the regulator’s transparency and safety standards.
The nudge came after the regulator found six unnamed operators to be offering ‘feature buy-in’ facilities on slots-style games.
The facilities gave consumers the option of staking significant amounts of money to access bonus features without playing the initial stages of the game.
One game was charging more than £3,000 to enter the bonus level.
The six firms in question have since removed these features from their websites.
Picture Credit: istock/Peshkova