How the UK Government Keep Online Gaming Safe
Every government is responsible for keeping its citizens safe. This is why nearly every country has a military. It also explains why most countries regulate industries like healthcare, education, and online gambling.
In the UK, the Gambling Commission regulates both land-based and remote gaming. Established in 2007, the UKGC has put in place countless measures to keep online casino players safe. Below are some of them:
Licenses Every Casino
Every online casino operating in the UK needs a valid license from the Gambling Commission. The UKGC doesn’t hand out its licenses easily. Applicants must pay a license application fee and prove that they can run a gambling company professionally.
Paying for licensing charges isn’t a big issue. In fact, the UKGC has pretty affordable licensing fees—ranging between £5000 and 41,000. The commission pays more attention to the integrity of applicants to ensure they’re honest and have good intentions for UK gamblers.
Then it asks every casino to secure their websites using standard data encryption tools. SSL is the most preferred encryption technique and every UKGC-licensed website must use it.
Additionally, gambling sites must reveal their licensing information at the bottom of their websites. This information needs to be linked to the official UKGC website to help players verify that a casino has a valid license.
It Encourages Safe Gaming
Safe gaming describes the practice of gambling responsibly. It means sticking to your budget, scheduling your gaming time, and being aware of problem gambling signs.
The Gambling Commission conducts education programs meant to promote safe gambling throughout the year. Additionally, it has tools and rules that require casinos to help gamblers with addiction issues.
Take GamStop as an example. It started as a small organization working with a handful of casinos to help players self-exclude from casino sites. Now, every gambling site in the UK must work with the company.
Although GamStop aims to help players bet responsibly, it has a massive data-sharing problem. Once you share your information on one website, it’s shared with every other GamStop casino in the UK.
Of course, data sharing comes with lots of problems. That’s why more and more people are looking for non-Gamstop casino sites. These operators might be based overseas. But they protect your data.
Also, they don’t work with GamStop. This makes them ideal for people who’ve already self-excluded on GamStop but still want to bet.
Regulates Software Providers
The Gambling Commission does not just regulate online casinos. It also keeps in check the companies that create slots and table games. Think of NetEnt, Microgaming, Betsoft, Playn’ GO, BTG, and Evolution.
For software providers to offer their games in the UK, they must prove they provide fair, high-quality games. The commission audits each game for fairness. It also verifies payout rates to ensure developers reveal correct information regarding their games.
Because of these strict measures, not every software provider operates in the UK. That’s alright, though. If a company fails to meet the UKGC’s fairness rules, it probably doesn’t offer quality games.
For clarity, not every developer targets UK casinos. Some companies don’t have licenses from the UKGC because they target a different market. Keep an open mind while playing slots from less popular developers.
Has Banking and Betting Rules
Imagine banking restrictions didn’t exist. Some casinos would have high deposits. They would charge for both deposits and withdrawals. And they would raise minimum betting limits to increase their profits.
The UK government is regularly reviewing its banking regulations to keep players safe. For example, it banned credit cards used in casinos in 2020. It also reduced limits on gaming machines to reduce problem gambling.
Presently, the UK casino community is anticipating the release of a white paper that could lower betting limits even further. Some people think the government is overregulating the sector. And this could cost casinos millions of pounds per year.
But if you ask government regulators and people advocating for tougher betting laws, regulations are good for the country. They minimize the exploitation of players by fraudulent businesses.
Another way the government keeps iGaming safe is by requiring casinos to work with trusted payment companies. Every digital wallet, debit card processor, or bank in the UK needs to meet high standards. Failure to meet these standards disqualifies a company from working in the UK.
Bonus Regulations
The UK government regulates nearly everything casinos do. This includes their marketing efforts. You see, online gambling companies can’t advertise their bonuses on TV.
What’s more, they must place limits on the maximum bonuses they give out. You can’t receive more than a 100% matched bonus at most casinos unless you’re a high roller.
On the bright side, the UKGC requires operators to reveal bonus policies. This helps you evaluate different promotions for quality and competitiveness. Think about this.
Two casinos have 100% welcome bonuses. One of them matches your deposit up to £100. The other one can give you £200. Which bonus are you likely to accept? The bigger one, of course.
Likewise, when casinos reveal bonus terms like wager requirements, withdrawal limits, and validity times; it’s easier to find a good deal. Casinos used to hide these terms until the government made it a law.
Tough Punishments for Casinos
The UKGC is one of the strictest gambling regulators in the world. It plays no favorites when it comes to keeping UK casino players safe. It doesn’t matter how big a company is.
If a casino breaks laws meant to keep players safe, the commission responds with a tough fine. In some cases, it has also suspended casinos’ licenses. Additionally, the UGKC also acts as an intermediary to resolve issues between operators and players.
Not every regulator holds its casinos accountable. Some regulators always side with casinos even when a player provides proof of fraud. Against that backdrop, it’s in your best interest to play at an online casino based in the UK. The only exception is if you’re trying to find a casino not on GamStop.