Online casinos will be forced to overhaul slot machine games to slow them down and remove features that cause players to lose track of how much they are spending.
In a series of curbs likely to reduce the industry’s £2.2bn a year revenue from online slot machines, the Gambling Commission has told UK companies to slow them down, with a gap of at least 2.5 seconds between spins.
They will also have to remove “auto-play” options, where players can set the slot machine to spin on its own multiple times. This can lead to gamblers not realising how much they are losing, the regulator said.
Slot machines will also be barred from playing positive-sounding noises or music when a player has actually lost money.
The feature is part of a phenomenon known as “losses disguised as wins”, which tricks players into thinking they have enjoyed a positive outcome when they have actually lost, enticing them to bet more.
Companies will also have to abolish features that give players the “illusion of control”, when in fact the spins are determined by a random outcome generator.
Firms will no longer be able to offer “reverse withdrawals”, in which a player opts to collect their winnings but then changes their mind and feeds the cash back into their account.
Operators also will have to clearly display to the player their total losses or wins and time played during any online slots session.
The measures will take effect from 21 October.
“The evidence shows that these features increase the risk of harm to customers,” said the Gambling Commission chief executive, Neil McArthur.
The sports minister, Nigel Huddleston, said: “Today’s steps will help curb the intensity of online gambling, introducing greater protections that will reduce the risk of gambling related harm.
“I welcome the Gambling Commission’s tough measures as we continue our comprehensive review of gambling laws to make sure they’re fit for the digital age.”
Gambling Commission data shows that the average spend for each slots player is £67 a month, compared with £36 for casino products and £45 for real event betting.
Sign up to the daily Business Today email
The growth of slots has helped drive a rise in online casino revenue for the gambling industry, with total online revenue up from £2.36bn in the year to March 2016 to nearly £3.18bn in the year to March 2020.
Slot machines make up nearly 70% of that income.
The Gambling Commission’s move comes with the government in the midst of a review of the laws governing gambling, expected to lead to tighter regulations, such as a ban on football shirt sponsorship.
Credit: Source link
source https://cryptonews.wealthsharingsystems.com/2021/02/uk-gambling-firms-ordered-to-slow-down-online-slot-machines-gambling/
No comments:
Post a Comment