Gambling has always been a big part of British culture – heading to the races for the day and placing bets on the horses is an incredibly popular pastime for English people.
However, the way British people gamble has slowly been changing over time and that’s seen a rise in calls for improved legislation and an increase in restrictions in order to protect those that are most vulnerable to addiction. In the late 90s, the internet was introduced and online gambling gradually took over the internet. Instead of heading to a betting shop or watching the races in person, customers began to favor sitting in the comfort of their own space to place bets.
Why are changes being made?
It was this online gambling revolution that prompted the first change in regulations when the UK Gambling Commission was formed. While the Gambling Commission helped to legitimize online casinos, the government was faced with the problem of an increasing number of people that were becoming addicted to gambling. In light of this, some changes have taken place – the maximum bet allowed at fixed odds betting terminals was reduced from £200 to £2 in 2018, and in April 2021, it became illegal to gamble with a credit card. However, the number of gambling addiction cases is still reported to be growing – it’s clear that more needs to be done and it’s looking fairly likely that there will be a review of the current regulations soon.
The UK is keen to ensure that responsible gambling is heavily promoted and that everyone who places a bet does so safely and within reason. As such, gambling regulations are often revisited and changed – to keep with the ever-changing why users of gambling services are changing and adapting.
For example, 15 years ago mobile betting would have been something very rare. However, the development of smartphones and mobile devices means that online gambling is something that has grown in popularity. This change in technology has changed the way we all use our devices and betting is no exception. As such, UK gambling regulations need to be revisited every now and then to make sure they are still relevant to the way people are accessing the gambling industry.
What is likely to change?
One big area of focus is online slot games. Over the years slots have become a large part of the online casino business. Each online casino offers tens, if not hundreds, of slot game variations – casinos license different brands and change the graphics to be themed around the brand and launch it as a new game. They’re often brightly colored and there’s a lot going on and said to appeal to the “inner child” – the imagery in games is likely to be reviewed. A £2 limit on online slots has also been suggested in order to fall in line with fixed odds betting terminals and so far appears to have a lot of public support.
Other areas of review have included banning loyalty programs, introducing levies on the industry to fund independent research and affordability checks for everyone that gambles to ensure they don’t put themselves into debt. The review has also called for greater transparency in the industry and even a ban on new games being released until the level of harm has been fully studied.
Many websites offer guidance on how to play slots, but these tend to be user guides on how to physically play the game. In a move towards responsible gambling, it is likely that there will be plans put in place to ensure that online casinos are forced to make things like odds much cleaner to understand. The idea is to ensure that people who do choose to gamble online are doing it with all the information they might need and as such can make a responsible, informed decision.
Gambling regulations across the world
The UK appears fairly ahead in the gambling journey compared to other major nations, and because of this, the results of this latest reform are going to be closely monitored around the world. While Las Vegas has been a gambling lover’s Mecca for years, the USA only legalized sports betting in 2018 – 11 states have legalized sports betting since the federal ban was lifted, and 24 have pending legislation to lift the ban. Canada is also working on reforming their gambling regulations, but are looking to relax their laws.
Currently, only 3.5% of Canadian bets are placed legally or in Canada. The country has a huge issue with offshore gambling sites and illegal bookmakers, in part due to their strict laws that only allow accumulator bets, which leaves very little room for bettors to win.
The latest round of UK gambling reforms is likely to have huge consequences, not just in the domestic gambling industry. As we have gambling regulations that seem to work well and are always updated, it is likely that other gambling regulations from across the globe will be seeking inspiration from any changes the UK makes. Gambling in the UK is always promoted responsibly, however, there is still an element of gambling issues in the country. That is why up-to-date regulations are essential and likely to be what has prompted these to be looked at.
Countries across the world will be watching to see how the UK handles its gambling problem, in part to see what they should be doing too. While the previous set of reforms have had an impact, this latest round is set to be one to pay attention to.
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