Gambling throughout Wales and the rest of the UK has seen a massive increase in popularity throughout the last 20 months. You might assume that the country being in lockdown and the closure of land-based casinos and betting shops would have put a halt on many people’s betting habits however; figures so far show that the opposite is very much the case.
The Increased Popularity of Online Gambling
Numerous gambling platforms have reported record numbers of signups and revenue for the latter part of 2020 and the start of 2021. There are many different reasons why this would be, but the fact that gambling has become much more accessible has definitely contributed. With much of Wales under strict lockdowns throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Welsh citizens would have needed to turn to the internet for entertainment. The gambling industry was clever and launched a number of new customer deals and advertising campaigns that captured the attention of these potential new customers. Stuck at home without friends and family to socialise with, many turned to online casinos and slot machines for the chance to win prizes while using the games to pass the time.
Gambling Regulation Within Wales
The UK Gambling Commission consistently looks at gambling trends and does their best to make sure that they keep up with the way people are betting. However, no one could have foreseen Wales being stuck at home for a long period of time and as such, some of the regulations being brought in by the commission have been a little slower than they would have liked. We’re seeing a number of regulations come into play from the end of October, mostly surrounding online slot games and how the people of Wales will be able to enjoy these.
Some of the changes include gambling platforms being required to show how much time a person has spent on a particular gambling session and what their total losses/winnings are. The idea behind this regulation is to ensure that punters on a gambling website remain in control of what they are spending. Affordability is a massive factor within the gambling industry and no doubt something that Chris Philp and the UK Gambling Commission will be looking into in further detail as time progresses. At the moment gamblers can try their luck on sites like Compare.bet but we might see a change in the future should affordability checks come into play.
Remaining in control of gambling is definitely an underlying feature of the new regulations that are coming into play at the end of the month. From the 1st November Welsh gamblers will no longer be able to benefit from an auto-play feature and instead will be forced to physically click every time they want to spin on the virtual slot machine. The idea behind this is to ensure that players don’t get carried away with how much they have bet and instead remain aware of just how many spins they have participated in, allowing them to walk away when they have reached their limit.
Would Affordability Checks be a Wise Move?
Affordability has always been an issue within the gambling industry. The general guidance is never to bet more than you can afford to lose, but realistically those that are vulnerable and short on cash could always be tempted to win – being lured in by the chance of winning more. Gambling platforms are required to carry out affordability checks and watch for patterns on users accounts that show they might be financially vulnerable, but realistically these checks aren’t as thorough as they could be. There is some argument for making stronger affordability checks, to ensure that only those that can afford it are able to make use of online betting platforms; but is that fair?
There are many that would say it is simply protecting those that are most vulnerable within our society and therefore it is something that Chris Philp and the UK Gambling Commission should bring in as a matter of urgency. However, those that argue against this fight for the fact that even those from poorer backgrounds deserve to spend their money exactly how they want. We don’t really have any rules within the UK that stop people from spending their money in any legal way that they want; so restricting spending in this way could be seen as unethical.
The Future of Welsh Gambling
Land-based casinos, online betting, mobile betting apps – they’re all popular throughout Wales and this isn’t something that is going to change any time soon. In fact, if the stats from 2021 are anything to go by it is something that is going to continue to grow in popularity. Although there are parts of the world where gambling is illegal or massively restricted this is not a route that Wales is likely to go down – however, regulations are likely to continue to be monitored and adapted where needed.
For example, as we have seen the use of online betting sites and apps increase we have seen the UK Gambling Commission announce a number of changes to the way that these platforms can operate and how games can be positioned to clients. The gambling industry generally responds well to these regulations and welcomes them, as a chance to keep their punters safe and the gambling industry reputation untarnished.
As gambling does increase in popularity, gambling charities and organisations are likely to call for tougher restrictions and checks to ensure that vulnerable members of society are protected. This might be affordability checks, or perhaps it will just be that these members have access to professional support if needed. It is hard to say exactly what affordability checks would be fair on those that are deemed below the threshold to play unchecked. However, we do know that excessive gambling by those that cannot afford it can lead to a number of problems in relationships, life and even with their work-life so it is certainly something that Chris Philp and those in charge of gambling legislation throughout England Wales will be wanting to avoid where possible and it could be that affordability checks are the answer.
