How The UKGC’s New Rules Will Affect Football Betting

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is engaged in a war against problem gambling in the UK. This has resulted in a continual flow of new regulations that are geared toward getting UK online gambling operators to get more involved in trying to identify and help potential gambling addicts in the UK.  

This drive to regulate has been brought about by an online gambling surge that has seen as many as 12 million UK residents take to the internet to play casino games or bet on sports. This unprecedented surge was at least partially a byproduct of the COVID19 pandemic that saw the entire region slammed shut by lockdowns. While growth in online gambling was already hitting record levels, things really tested up when locked down UK residents saw online gambling as a great way to pass time. 

Let's take a look at two recent regulatory mandates set forth by the UKGC. 

Introduction of the GamStop Self-exclusion Program 

In the latter part of the last decade, the UKGC went in search of a resource that UK online problem gamblers could turn to if they wanted help with their online gambling issues. What the UKGC innovated was a program called the GamStop Self-exclusion scheme or program. The program was specifically created as a way for problem online gamblers to request exclusion from accessing any UK online gambling sites.  

Initially, UK online gambling operators were given the option as to whether or not they subscribed to the GamStop scheme for a subscription fee. When the response was mediocre at best, the UKGC upped the ante by mandating that all "licensed" online gambling operators secure membership in the GamStop program. This took place in 2020. 

Most operators complied with the mandate while others decided to take their chances and ignore it. That included operators that had not yet secured licenses. For a current list of reliable non-GamStop online betting operators, visit Patrick Bamford's NonGamStopOdds website. 

Here is a look at how the GamStop scheme works. Online UK operators provide a direct link to the GamStop registration page. When an online gambler waves the white flag and wants help, they can click on the link and go to the registration page. Registering is strictly voluntary. 

After filling out the online registration, selecting a self-exclusion period (6 months, 1 year, or 5 years), and submitting the online form, registered gamblers become part of the GamStop database. As long as they are in the database, they will be denied access to any of their existing gambling accounts. They will also be blocked from opening new accounts.  

When the self-exclusion period expires, the shackles are removed and the former GamStop gamblers are free to resume their online gambling activities through licensed UK operators.

New Mandates Released in April of 2022 

While not happy with the region's problem gambling trends, the UKGC released a new set of mandates in April of 2022. This new set of mandates is clearly directed at pressuring UK online gambling operators to do more in the battle to address gambling addiction. Here is a look at the new rules that are scheduled to take effect in September of 2022: 

• Monitor specified data to identify potential problem gambling behaviors 
• Flag key indicators that show harm could be happening and take action 
• Automate the indicator identification process 
• Stop marketing efforts toward high-risk gamblers 
• Reach out for discussions with high-risk gamblers 
• Create gambler evaluations and submit them to the UKGC 

All of these new regulations are raising concerns about how these new rules are going to affect football betting done through UK online sportsbooks. The reality is there should be little to no effect on football betting. Here is some information to support this notion. 

First and foremost, the UK sports betting community will never run out of UK sports bettors who love betting on football matches. It seems to be born in the blood of the region's citizenry. 

Second, most problem football fans are already aware they have access to the GamStop Self-exclusion program at any point they might want to join. There are indications that plenty of problem gamblers have been willingly giving the scheme a go. 

Finally, there isn't much evidence that a problem gambler is going to put much heed to the efforts of an operator's employee to get them to stop gambling. This brings to light that the UKGC has a big history of instituting regulations, but they seem to be lacking in the enforcement area. 

We shall see how things shake out when the new regulations go into effect. Until then, it looks like it will be business as usual for UK football betting enthusiasts. 

Source: Tribuna