Ahead of expected major changes to British gambling legislation, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the industry standards body, is recommending limits on slot spin speeds and a ban on turbo play and multi-slot play as part of its safer betting drive.
“We are determined to address concerns head-on and meet our safer gambling commitments,” asserted BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher.
“I’m sure that our members will embrace this approach and commit to its objective of improving player safety,” he said.
“And as we prepare for the forthcoming Gambling Review, it is further evidence of our industry’s commitment to improving standards.”
It is expected that BGC members will begin implementing the changes– including limiting spin speeds to 2.5 seconds per pull–by the start of next month, October.
The safety features are the product of a UK Gambling Commission working group led by suppliers Playtech and Scientific Games.
And they are the first of many expected self-regulated changes, among them: possible limits on losses and stakes and a ban on auto spin and so-called “false wins”, where a punter wins back less than their stake.
“Earlier this year, we challenged the industry to work together and make games less addictive,” said a Commission spokesperson. “So the BGC announcement definitely shows progress.”
The Game Design Working Group is one of three industry groups proactively working to create a safer gambling environment in Britain.
Another group is working on improving the positive quality of advertising and social media and a third group is looking at protocols for high-value customers and outlawing VIP schemes to punters aged 25-years and under.
These measures, the BGC underlined, have been developed with key input from academics, regulators, consumers and individuals with lived experience of betting-related harm.
