The latest Gambling Commission decision to introduce new security measures for online slot machines has dominated the industry's headlines since its announcement on February 2, and the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) welcomed the move shortly thereafter.
The new measures include a total ban on autoplay, slots spin speed faster than 2.5 seconds, features to speed up the game, and sounds or images that give the illusion of winning when the return is equal to or less than the stake. to the changes that will come into force on October 31, 2021.
Gambling expert and partner at Keystone Law Richard Williams contributedGambling Insider quotes about what the new measures mean for operators and the industry as a whole.
"These new measures give operators and game designers plenty of time to modify games and websites to meet the new technical standards by October 2021." Williams explained.
“The Commission focused its attention on the most risky gambling activity, namely online slot machines. While there will be many commentators arguing that this is not going far enough and that more far-reaching restrictions are necessary to tackle the excess of online gambling, it makes sense to focus practical measures on high-risk gaming.
"Further measures are to be expected as the government continues to review the 2005 Gambling Act, but as many lawyers have argued all along, we do not need a thorough and industry review of gambling laws as such effective measures can be enforced through licensing terms." or changes to the game design ”.
The Commission highlighted online slot machines as a key area of change due to game intensity, adding that slot games have by far the highest average losses per player for online gambling products.
On average, GB slot players lose £ 67 ($ 91) per month, compared to £ 45 on wagering and £ 36 on other casino products.
"It's possible that slowing down the gameplay will simply lead to more time online, and problem players spend more time actively playing with the same amount of losses," added Williams.
"Time will tell if these restrictions will improve the situation or if more draconian measures are necessary, such as imposing mandatory loss and deposit limits for high-risk casino customers."