Many British gaming sites have taken steps to keep young players away and encourage problem players to seek help. But this year, this responsibility is going to become part of the law. The United Kingdom’s Gambling Commission plans to start requiring that online casino sites display information about their social responsibility policies as part of […]
Many British gaming sites have taken steps to keep young players away and encourage problem players to seek help. But this year, this responsibility is going to become part of the law.
To the non-gambler, the gaming industry seems like it’s by nature the polar opposite of a socially responsible institution.
After all, people who claim to be morally pure regularly point to the alleged evils of gambling, and lump the legal activity with other vices such as sex, violence and probably rock n’ roll.
However, not everyone knows that the casino industry actually has been excellent at encouraging responsible and legal gambling. Legitimate casino owners often are proud to announce that they offer a variety of resources to assist problem gamblers, donate to community charities and make sure that players are of legal age.
For instance, PokerStars already offers an age verification system to make sure players are at least 18 years old. It includes a variety of tips to encourage parents to be careful about allowing their children to access their computer when it’s connected to a casino site, such as setting passwords.
It also offers tips to make sure your online gambling doesn’t control your life, or suggestions to break away or cut down if you think you’re gambling too much.
The Gambling Commission’s Responsible Gaming rules will be similar to what some casinos are already doing, but make it clear that the commission still has concerns about people who can set up anonymous accounts.
Along with online casino providers, the upcoming regulations will also apply to online gambling service providers and software companies related to online gaming.