Did you know that British people wager more per head than any other nation in the world?
In fact, the average Brit spends in excess of £2.60 each week on gambling alone. Consider that there are over 68 million people living in the UK, and you’re looking at a stake amount of over £176million every week.
These are alarming figures on the face of it, but they don’t have to be. Luckily, the UK is also home to some of the strictest gambling laws on the planet, and all betting sites are required to operate within these regulations.
With three in four people gambling at least once a year, the need for operators to work within the constraints has become increasingly important in recent times. In the digital world that we now live in, the possibility for problem gamblers to slip through the net is apparent, and it is imperative that we as an industry do our bit to prevent just that.
Rdentify’s cutting edge technology uses advanced data analytics and Artificial Intelligence models to detect indicators that may suggest problem gambling in real-time. From there, we allow operators to intervene and interact with users in a timely manner.
From the user, remaining aware of safe gambling online keeps you safe, as well as your friends and family.
What is Responsible Gambling
On the face of it, responsible gambling is a basic concept. It is a commitment from casinos and bookmakers to keep their players safe from the risks that go hand in hand with gambling.
The vast majority of UK gamblers are able to place a bet and enjoy the thrill of seeing whether their bet lands or not. However, there are too many people that fail to stop at that point. They begin chasing losses or wanting to recreate that thrill and can quickly spiral out of control.
These people require outside help to prevent them from spiralling, and the law is designed to do just that. It is designed, not to prevent gambling, but to ensure that it is done so in a controlled manner.
In recent times, an annual social media campaign known as Responsible Gambling Week has done brilliantly to advertise safe gambling, with everyone in the industry pulling in the same direction.
The Responsible Gambling Week team put together the below five pointers to help promote their message:
- Only spend what you can afford
- Set limits for both time and money
- Gambling is never the answer to a problem
- Don’t gamble when angry or upset
- Gambling shouldn’t interfere with your personal relationships
Of course, responsible gambling is something that should be promoted all year round, and not just for one week. However, the gambling industry is pulling in the right direction, and responsible gambling is at the forefront of all operators. Failure to keep in line with these regulations put in place can, and often do, result in substantial fines. Want to know more about some of the recent fines handed out by the UK Gambling Commission? Take a read of our recent blog and further your education on why responsible gambling is of such importance from the standpoint of an operator.
The Role of the Gambling Commission
On the topic of the Gambling Commission, they play a significant role in enforcing the legislation for gambling operators in the UK.
The UKGC is a public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and was created under the Gambling Act of 2005. They are responsible for the regulating of all bookmakers, casinos and bingo halls.
The Gambling Commission focus on:
- Carrying out reviews and visits
- Giving specific advice or guidance to licence holders
- Taking remedial or preventive action
- Varying or imposing additional licence conditions
- Reviewing financial information
Existing Tools to Encourage Responsible Gambling
There are a wide variety of tools out there that encourage players to gamble responsibly, from self-exclusion through to deposit limits. However, these are tools that are left to the customer to use, and many problem gamblers don’t want to use them.
Rdentify’s aforementioned technology is one of these very tools that is capable of identifying problem gamblers in real time.
Our company was created for operators in the online gaming industry that are required to understand the potential vulnerability of their players.
One of the key issues that operators are facing currently is that they are unable to see the risk levels of a players in real time.
For example, if a Customer Support Agent is talking on Live Chat with a customer, they are meant to be able to immediately identify whether or not the player in question is a risk in terms of problem gambling. There is every possibility that this particular agent is monitoring multiple chats, or that the customer has talked to different agents previously.
In this instance, how is the agent meant to identify the problem gambling risk there and then? It is extremely difficult, and this is how problem gamblers can slip through the net.
The beauty of Rdentify’s technology is that it provides a real time risk score that operators can see within their existing live chat functionality.
On top of this, Rdentify is also auditable. In essence, if a risk score of a particular player increases, operators are able to prove their responsible gambling interactions. This is a big thumbs up in terms of legislation.
How Does Rdentify’s Technology Work?
If you are interested in learning more about Rdentify’s model, click here to book your free demo today.