UK Gambling Commission suspends gaming operators

The UK Gambling Commission recently suspended the gaming licences of two online casino operators- Dynamic (trading as Prophet) and Sportito.

These suspensions came into effect immediately.

Self-exclusion

In January all online gaming operators were told that they needed to participate in GAMSTOP as part of their licence conditions and social responsibility code provision 3.5.5. The deadline to have this system in place was the 31st March.

However, Dynamic and Sportito both failed to fully integrate the GAMSTOP self-exclusion scheme on their sites. As a result, the Commission suspended them. Reviews are taking place into why these operators didn’t have the scheme in place by the 31st March deadline.

Sportito has since integrated the self-exclusion system so the Gambling Commission lifted the suspension.

“an important tool”

On this subject, Neil McArthur, Gambling Commission Chief Executive, said:

“We have made it clear to operators that we are ready and willing to use our powers to protect consumers, as this action demonstrates.

“Self-exclusion is an important tool to protect vulnerable consumers, which is why we made it compulsory for all online operators to be signed up to GAMSTOP by 31 March.  We took action because the operators had not complied by the deadline, which placed vulnerable consumers at risk. 

“One of the suspensions has now been lifted as the operator is now compliant.  Our investigations into both operators continue.”

GAMSTOP

Because online gambling is on the rise, there is a growing risk of more problem gamblers.

The GAMSTOP self-exclusion scheme aims to help stop players from becoming problem gamblers, and make sure online gaming remains fun, enjoyable, and entertaining.

The scheme allows players to implement controls that will restrict their gambling activities. They can choose a period of self-exclusion, during which time they won’t be able to access any UK licensed casino. The self-exclusion will continue after the period of exclusion until you request its removal.

All good casinos will have support on their site to help you game responsibly and to protect any vulnerable players. For example, struggling players can set bet limits on how much they gamble, set time limits, or contact one of the many support lines that are available.

The integration of GAMSTOP is just one of the compulsory, and important, measures all casinos with a UK licence have to include on their sites. The authorities hope it will help to tackle the issue of problem gambling and help people to game responsibly and safely.

The UK Gambling Commission came into existence in 2005, after the passing of the Gambling Act. This was to regulate commercial gambling and make sure the industry was operating safely, responsibly, and fairly.