RESPONSIBLE GAMING
sector on which many thousands of working class, low income people depend on to feed their families. Similarly, legislating against the ‘non-essential’ game features mentioned previously is a delicate balancing act. In attempting to help those who may be more naturally inclined to addiction by prohibiting the more exciting, enticing and possibly addictive gaming features, one does so at the expense of those who enjoy those features but have more control over their gambling impulses. This also runs the risk of making the market so bland that problem gamblers will look to illegal and black-market forms of gambling in order to fulfil their addiction. This means less oversight of those most at risk of gambling, potentially more money going into criminal enterprises, and less fiscal revenue, leaving less funding for organizations that help diagnose and treat gambling addicts. There is a danger that responsible gaming measures may impinge on civil liberties with a potential expansion of ‘the surveillance state’. Player registration and monitoring, even when conducted by gambling operators, is a requirement of the state and this data will often be reported back to state authorities. Depending on the nature of a particular government or political culture in a country, this may raise concerns about an overreach of the state into the private lives of citizens. Some responsible measures actively require increased monitoring of citizens, such as imposing monthly deposit limits. Should a player reach their limit with one operator, there may be the opportunity simply to open another account with a different gambling operator, or even the same operator under a different name or email address. To prevent this, ever greater powers of control over citizens are needed. The question quickly becomes, is it right that anyone wishing to bet a small amount on a horse race must provide their passport and bank details to the operator or regulator? What about their bank statements or even their monthly expenses which are considered by some regulators? This method also raises challenges in countries with strict data protection laws such as in the European Union. Conclusion Whilst gambling businesses continue to navigate the ever- evolving player protection regulatory landscape, they also need to be confident in finding a balance between innovation and player protection. Without a doubt, player protection regulation will continue to be a multifaceted challenge that requires ongoing collaboration, adaptability, and vigilance. By adopting
a risk-based regulatory approach, fostering open dialogue with industry stakeholders, leveraging data-driven insights, and promoting responsible gaming tools and education, regulators and gambling businesses can effectively address player protection concerns without stifling the industry’s innovative potential. Ultimately, this delicate balance will allow the gambling industry to continue to offer engaging and entertaining experiences to players, while safeguarding their well-being and minimizing the risks associated with gambling- related harm. References Report from the Gambling Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group: Online Gambling Harm Inquiry, Final Report, June 2020 http://www.grh-appg.com/ Patrick Sturgis, Department of Methodology, London School of Economics: An assessment of the accuracy of survey estimates of the prevalence of problem gambling in the United Kingdom, March 2020 https://about.gambleaware.org/media/2179/an-assessment-of- the-accuracy-of-survey-estimates-of-the-prevalence-of-problem- gambling-in-the-united-kingdom.pdf Christopher Snowdon, Institute of Economic Affairs: Fixed-odds betting terminals, September 2016 https://iea.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2016/09/FOBT-Briefing-PDF.pdf Christopher Snowdon, Spiked: FOBTs: a middle-class moral panic https://www.spiked-online.com/2018/05/17/fobts-a-middle-class- moral-panic/ Harriet Dennys, This Is Money: We’re fighting for our lives, says bookie, as four betting shops a DAY are shut down in war on gambling https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/ article-7718253/Four-betting-shops-DAY-shut-war-gambling.html Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand: Maori and gambling, November 2017 https://www.pgf.nz/ uploads/7/1/9/2/71924231/fs08-maori_and_gambling.pdf Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling: Study on the prevalence, behavior and characteristics of users of games of chance in Spain, 2015 Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling: Study and analysis of risk factors for gambling disorder in a Spanish clinical population, 2017 https://www.ordenacionjuego.es/en/estudio- prevalencia
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IMGL MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
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