UK Trade Association BGC Releases New Proactive Guidelines for Protecting Players

Great Britain watchdog trade association Betting and Gaming Council BGC has announced a new code of conduct for its operator members.

Timing

The new code will focus on the design of online games and will be introduced by the end of September.

New Focus

The new code has been established by the BGC to improve player safety and tackle problem gambling--as the follow-up to the BGC Safer Gambling Commitments published in 2019.

The Measures

New measures introduced include minimum game cycle speeds of 2.5 seconds to slow down players and provide much needed perspective to potential problem gamblers; the ending of turbo player options formerly enabling players to speed up games; and the removal of the multi-slot play option which allowed players to play different games at the same time.

The code also calls for more mandatory checks on player activities for intervention when signs of gambling are detected—a responsibility which will fall to operators.

BGC CEO Speaks

Of the new changes BGC CEO Michael Dugher explained:

“The BGC was set up last year with the aim of leading a race to the top in terms of standards within the regulated betting industry.”

Testament of Will

Dugher identified the new BGC guidelines as a “new Game Design Code of Conduct” providing further example of the organisation's determination to “address concerns head on and meet our safer gambling commitments.”

Innovative Proactive Research

With the new measures set to be in place by the end of this month, the GBC has further committed to

utilize its ground-breaking in-house game design research lab to explore further routes to player protection, such as but not limited to game labels designed to increase players understanding of gaming terminology and service agreements.

Diversifying Research Partners

The BGC has committed to cooperating in this research with a full range of academics, regulators, consumers and individuals with live experience in betting-related harm to ensure the code of conduct stays abreast of rapid changes in technology.

Outlook

The new measures are part of an increasingly comprehensive array of voluntary measures which position BGC as effectively and proactively establishing protections to prevent gambling harm in the UK, before the government has to at a more advanced stage.