How Technology Enhances Responsible Gambling in the UK
Technology is perhaps the biggest catalyst for the success of online gambling in the UK. Innovation in graphics design, mobile gaming, and digital payments helped the industry rise from nothing to more than £10 billion in 15 years.
While casinos have been reaping big from the growth of iGaming in the country, not everyone is happy about the industry’s success. Responsible gambling watch groups believe more needs to be done to lower the number of problem gamblers in the UK.
Earlier this year, the government released a white paper with proposals for the remote betting industry. Most of these measures require technology to implement.
Speaking of which, let’s look at how the gambling industry uses technology to enhance responsible gambling.
#1: Deposit Limits
Placing a limit on the maximum you can deposit to your favorite online casino is a great way to help control your finances. Let’s say after reviewing your personal budget, you can afford to spend £200 on slots weekly.
After a six-month period, you might discover that spending £200 on slots every week is more than you should. You might decide to lower the amount to £100. And to ensure you stick to your budget, you can use a deposit limit tool provided by your casino.
The best casinos limit the number of times you can increase deposit limits. If you set up a £100 daily deposit limit, you may need to wait for a week or two before you can review this amount.
Presently, betting limits are not compulsory. They’re an option provided by casinos that care about their customers. However, the government is working to make these limits compulsory soon.
#2: Online Self-Exclusion Program
When you think about it, Gamstop is entirely powered by technology. And yet, it is highly successful. Gamstop gives you a form to provide your details and the duration of time you want to break from gambling.
The company then forwards your data to every gambling site in the UK. Together, gambling sites in the UK block you for six months, one or five years. This gives you enough time to decide whether to quit gaming entirely or to come back once you’ve cooled down.
Now, not everyone is happy with how Gamstop shares your data. If you like to have more control over your data, you might want to check out non GAMSTOP casinos. They treat your data securely. And they don’t lock out of your account for too long unless you ask to close it.
#3: Mandatory Play Breaks
According to studies, mandatory play breaks can help casino players take control of their finances and time spent gambling. Casinos and sportsbooks use special tools to force you into a break after one, five or ten minutes.
Play breaks can be short or long depending on the casino. For example, you can take a forced two-minute break after gambling for 10 minutes continuously. During your break, the casino might send you a message reminding you about why you need to gamble more responsibly.
Mandatory play breaks are incredibly useful in stopping dissociation. You see, a good slot machine can immerse you into a different world with its entertaining features. Live casinos are even more immersive now that they allow you to socialize and interact with real human opponents.
It can make you dissociate from the world around you and forget about the need to quit after some point. A break in play tool can snap you into reality to prevent you from gambling longer than you should.
#4: Time and Bet Limits
Many online casinos and sportsbooks have tools you can use to personalize your gambling experience. For example, you can set a maximum limit per spin on slots, a limit for table games and the overall time spent in your account.
Tools help you control your casino budget. They also protect you chasing losses now that you can’t spend above a certain limit. On the other hand, time limits remind you when to take a break or when to stop gambling entirely.
As mentioned, responsible gambling tools can be rigid. If you’re supposed to stop gambling after an hour, a good time limit tool can help you adhere to this rule.
#5: Personalized Messaging
Fighting problem gambling is easier said than done. To help players stick to their budgets and take breaks consistently, casinos communicate with players regularly through personalized messages.
For example, a site might send you a pop up message asking you whether it’s normal for you to spend three hours on roulette. This happens if the site notices you’ve exceeded the average time you spend on games.
Sometimes a casino will send you a reminder about responsible gambling. It can remind you to set a daily betting limit. Or it can send you an informative text dispelling a myth common with gamblers.
Automated pop up messages are effective in promoting responsible gambling because they’re effective. If you were about to get into another poker game and receive a message reminding you about your time limit, you might make a better decision.
#6: Account Monitoring
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Casinos are always monitoring your account for marketing reasons. They use AI tools to learn how much you spend, where you’re based, how long you play, favorite games and bonuses.
Data about players helps casinos market their products more effectively. It also allows them to look out for players with problem gambling signs. If they detect a player might fall into addiction, casinos are required to take an active measure.
For example, a site can recommend such a player to take a one week break from gambling. If they player doesn’t use any tools, the casino can help her activate time and budgeting tools.
Another way casinos are required to help such a player is by directing her to programs that help people with gambling addictions. Failure to help vulnerable players can lead to a fine from the UKGC. And if a casino doesn’t reform, the UKGC could take away its license.
