The rise of online casinos, gaming and betting sites where money is both lost and won, has led to a virtual wild west with regards to player safety. Some existing high street or well known betting brands have realised the potential of online play and shifted focus to ‘play at home’ or on the go gaming via laptops, ipads and mobile phones, which, when combined with a now readily available wi-fi seemingly in the remotest of destinations, means you could be online gaming 24/7 anywhere n the world at any given time.
Whilst this can be great for some, for others it can lead to addiction issues and to take advantage of this, some rather unscrupulous operators who don’t worry or care about the circumstances of the person betting their money online. This has become a hot topic for governments around the world who are looking to encourage responsible online game play. Companies such as the Gamstop Group are independent not-for-profit organisations specialising in UK-focused gambling consumer protection tools, other regulators around the world such as Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Singapore’s Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) along with developer/tech companies such as Soft2Bet all take great steps to protect people who place bets and gamble online.
Companies such as Soft2Bet work under a plethora of strict licensing laws and are constantly developing compliance protocols with the aim of increasing player protection. Companies such as this are audited by the gaming authorities, thus ensuring a high level of diligence when it comes to responsible gaming and regulatory compliance.
Here are a few pointers when it comes to pursuing responsible gaming:
- Reality Checks: The most responsible gaming sites offer notifications to remind players of their time online, thus reinforcing sensible gaming habits.
- Self-Limitation Features: This is a valuable tool for setting player limits whether it be each day, per week or monthly. It relates to deposits, session times online and bet amounts.
- Timeouts & Self-Exclusion: Whilst this is optional, as above, timeouts can encourage breaks from game play and even prevent play from specific sites or platforms.
- Access to Information: This is essential for all people who use gaming sites for betting, as it gives clear easy visible access not just to how much you have won, but your account history and, very importantly your losses which can be a reality check when the odds seems to be stacked against you.
- Player Support: Player support really is about a commitment by each gaming site to provide and promote awareness of gambling addiction, and those risks which run alongside, offering support from third party often not for profit organizations. It needs to be visible and easily accessible.
All reputable operators are required to provide strict age verifications, with monitoring for problem gambling patterns, and emphasis on fair play. At the end of the day, the mission of all gaming sites should be to provide players with an enjoyable gaming experience whilst promoting secure, transparent, and fair environments for people accessing their site.