The UK’s gaming regulator has announced significant updates to age verification processes and financial risk assessments in the gambling industry, with new provisions coming into effect immediately. These changes aim to enhance consumer protection, particularly for those vulnerable to financial issues and problematic gambling.
Enhanced age verification protocols
All online gambling operators are now required to implement enhanced age verification measures through the newly introduced Social Responsibility (SR) Code provision, SR 3.4.4. This regulation mandates operators to carry out financial vulnerability checks on customers using public records to identify red flags such as bankruptcy orders and debt relief arrangements.
These checks are initiated when a customer’s spending reaches £500 within a rolling 30-day period. These safeguards will remain in place until February 2025, with further reviews planned thereafter.
New financial risk assessment pilot
To complement the age verification updates, a pilot initiative has been introduced to test the effectiveness of financial risk assessments for high-spending customers. This pilot will gather comprehensive data to evaluate how well gambling operators identify and support financially struggling customers.
The findings will help the regulator develop standardized protocols for managing high-risk cases, ensuring consistency across the industry.
Strengthening consumer protection
As part of ongoing efforts to protect consumers, the regulator has revised the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), extending enhanced age verification procedures to bricks-and-mortar gambling establishments.
All operators, regardless of size, must now adopt a “Think 25” policy, ensuring a more rigorous approach to verifying the age of customers to prevent underage gambling. This reflects the regulator’s commitment to a safer gambling environment.
Balancing consumer rights and protection
These new measures are designed to create a balance between allowing consumers the freedom to make informed choices and protecting vulnerable individuals from harm.
By reinforcing both financial checks and age verification processes, the regulator aims to reduce gambling-related harm while maintaining fair access to gambling services for responsible users.