There are countless people across the UK who love playing the leading slots and table games that are available at most online casinos. This was especially the case during the COVID-19 pandemic when a lot of land-based casinos had to close their doors as a result of government restrictions.
When people trust their hard-earned money with any sort of online operator, they want to be sure that they are dealing with a reputable entity. You want to be sure that your data and funds are going to be kept secure by the online casino operator.
The authorities in the UK do a lot to protect people who are using online casinos, both from irreputable operators and from themselves with responsible gambling measures. This article will look at some of the protections that are in place on players across the region.
The world’s leading gambling regulator
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the chief regulator of online casinos that are operating in the regulated UK market. It is in charge of handing out licenses to operators, as well as making sure that they are staying in line with all rules and regulations.
Some of the changes it has brought in over recent years include a ban on people utilizing credit cards for gambling payments, bans on certain game features, and limits on wager sizes. It has a reputation for being one of the stringent gambling regulators in the world today.
It appears that further restrictions will be on the way. This is because the UK government is currently in the process of reviewing key gambling legislation that dates all of the way back to 2005. The goal of this review is to drag this legislation into the modern age.
How does GamStop Work?
The UKGC does not do all of the work of protecting gamblers in the UK on its own. It enlists the help of organizations like GamStop. This group offers a self-exclusion offering for all UK players. Every operator that holds a UKGC license has to be a part of GamStop. A person who is having issues with their gambling and wants to block themselves from accessing casino sites will sign up for self-exclusion.
The available periods are six months, a year, or five years. There is no going back once you commit to self-exclusion, you must see out the term. The main benefit of using GamStop as opposed to self-excluding through specific operators is that this will be a blanket ban covering all UKGC-licensed sites. This removes temptation for gamblers to use another UK-licensed site if they are excluded from just a single operator.
Other Problem Gambling Protections
As well as the authorities like the UKGC and GamStop, there are a number of other ways that problem gamblers can get protection. There are numerous gambling charities and awareness groups that conduct studies on problem gambling. This can lead to legislative changes that will protect gamblers in the long run. These bodies also often provide a lot of resources and help to problem gamblers. This includes a variety of different forms of treatment.
There are also some companies that offer software that blocks gambling sites. This includes Gamban, a paid software package that can be installed on desktop computers and mobile phones. Any time that the person tries to access a gambling site, the page will be blocked.
Most gambling operators will also have e a lot of different account tools that are used to restrict accounts. This includes putting in place deposit limits, loss limits, betting limits, playing session limits, reality checks, cool-off periods, and of course self-exclusion.
Finally, there are adblockers that will prevent you from seeing gambling-related ads when you are browsing online, while a lot of banks now allow you to block transactions going from your account to a gambling site. These are all measures that can be considered by problem gamblers who are looking to take back control.
An Emerging Trend
The work that the likes of GamStop and the UKGC do is very important in protecting at-risk people. However, people who are in control of their gambling in all ways can sometimes be frustrated at the restrictions that are in place. These measures can sometimes take away some of the fun that is associated with playing online casino games.
This is why these types of players are now starting to seek possible alternatives. According to non-gamstop-casinos.com, a lot of non-GamStop casinos are starting to see people for the UK signing up. These sites are usually licensed by another gambling regulator, like the Malta Gaming Authority. However, they do not have as many restrictions as the likes of UKGC platforms will see. Game libraries are often bigger, you have a wider range of betting limits and more expansive payment methods.
However, it is supremely important that people who are excluded through GamStop are not trying to avoid this block by heading over to non-GamStop sites. While these platforms are legal for UK players to use, they are not going to be a part of GamStop. They will often have their own self-exclusion programs, but there will be no blanket program that allows players to self-exclude from all sites, such as in place with GamStop.
A Great Source of Entertainment Once Done Safely
The UK online casino market is constantly changing. New types of games are hitting the scene, while the government and other authorities are constantly looking at ways to add further protections to players. They are also looking to crack down on shoddy practices, such as money laundering.
Ultimately, casino games are there to be enjoyed. Once people are gambling responsibly, they will be able to access their favourite games and usually play away to their hearts desire in a safe and secure manner.
