The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reaffirmed its commitment to consumer protection by launching a pilot program designed to assess the effectiveness of affordability checks, one of the cornerstones of the government’s recent gambling reforms. In an August 27 blog post, Helen Rhodes, director of major policy projects and evaluation at the UKGC, outlined the scope and objectives of the pilot.
The Pilot Will Not Impact Real Consumers
This newest initiative is a crucial step in the UKGC’s ongoing drive to protect consumers from gambling-related harm. The update follows years of consultations and evidence-gathering on affordability, which led to a more focused approach to financial risk assessments. This pilot will allow UKGC to test the proposed measures in a controlled environment before broader implementation.
Rhodes noted that the pilot wasn’t a live test, meaning no real consumer accounts would be affected. Instead, the pilot will collect customer data from the largest remote gambling operators to simulate financial risk assessments. The objective is to identify high-spending customers in significant financial difficulty and support them accordingly without unnecessary friction.
“We are testing how operators can be given limited information to understand how severe these financial difficulties might be in order to take action to support the customer.”
Helen Rhodes, UKGC director of major policy projects and evaluation
The knowledge gained from this pilot will inform the UKGC’s decision on whether to pursue full implementation of financial risk assessment. The regulator is committed to adopting a cautious and evidence-based approach that ensures any measures coming into force will protect consumers effectively while guaranteeing a seamless and smooth customer experience for most players.
The Initiative Could Bring Substantial Benefits
The pilot will last six or seven months, divided into three stages. Over that period, the UKGC will keep track of several criteria. The regulator will consider how well the financial risk assessments can fit seamlessly into the customer journey. Furthermore, The pilot shall measure the speed at which credit reference agencies can process assessments and will evaluate the data’s accuracy.
The UKGC will examine how it must present the data to operators and how it can incorporate these ratings into existing customer interaction processes. Should the financial risk assessments be implemented in the future, the UK regulator has promised to conduct long-term evaluations with the DCMS to ensure the policy meets its objectives in the real world and keeps consumers protected in an ever-changing gambling environment.
“These decisions would also be informed by wider considerations of data, evidence, consultation responses, and our consumer research.”
Helen Rhodes, UKGC director of major policy projects and evaluation
The UKGC’s pilot program demonstrates the authority’s commitment to balancing consumer protection with industry innovation in the face of increasingly complex challenges of today’s gambling industry. If successful, affordability checks will form one of the cornerstones of the ongoing UK gambling reform, hopefully stemming the rise of gambling harm in the country.
