Remote gambling

Preventing underage gambling

All operators that are licensed or approved by the Gambling Commission must make sure that when you apply to register with them to gamble they:

  • advise you that underage gambling is an offence,
  • require you to confirm that you are old enough to gamble legally, and
  • take action to verify your age.

When you register to gamble with any payment method other than a credit card, the operator must carry out additional age checks to make sure you are over 18. This is because some forms of payment, for example debit cards, can be held by under-18s.

No winnings should be paid to you until your age is verified. If, after 72 hours, the operator has not been able to verify your age, they should freeze your account until they are able to do so. If you are later found to be underage, your account will be closed. Your stakes will be returned to you, but you will not be paid any winnings.

To further protect you, gambling internet sites must allow for filtering software to be used (for example by parents or schools). Sites must also carry out regular credit checks, and make sure that staff are properly trained in age verification.

Providing information to customers

Operators must make sure that you can easily obtain information on how to gamble responsibly.

They must also provide information about the help that you can get if you have a gambling problem.

Helping problem gamblers

Staff must be trained to recognise the signs that may show that a person has a gambling problem, and must know what to do when they have concerns about a customer.

If staff have genuine concerns that you may have a gambling problem, they will decide whether to discuss this with you. How they actually do this is up to each operator to decide. Options might include providing you with leaflets, or explaining self-exclusion to you and offering you the choice of self-excluding.

In certain circumstances, staff may refuse to serve you, or may decide that it is in your best interests to bar you from their site.

Self-exclusion

Operators must have procedures in place allowing you to self-exclude for a length of time – usually between six months and five years. While you are excluded, the operator must take all reasonable steps to prevent you from gambling with them. At the end of the period chosen, the self-exclusion should continue unless you take positive action to end it. In the meantime, if you are found trying to gamble with the operator, you will be removed.

Credit

Not all gambling operators allow you to use your credit card. In cases where you can use your credit card, the operator will check with the card company that the money can be transferred. This money must then be placed in a customer account.

Making sure gambling is ‘fair and open’

Remote gambling operators must ensure that the terms by which gambling is offered are not unfair. They are required by the Gambling Commission to display a player’s guide to each gambling opportunity (bet, game or lottery) made available, and any other relevant information.

Where it is practical, information must be provided at the point where you gamble – for example, on a website. Where this is not possible, the information must be posted, faxed or emailed to you.

Marketing and advertising

Gambling advertising is monitored by the Advertising Standards Authority and must be socially responsible. This means that adverts must not be targeted or be attractive to children. Adverts cannot present gambling as a solution to financial problems or misrepresent the rules of the game.

Operators may offer you incentives or rewards for gambling with them, but these must be proportionate to the type of gambling involved and the terms and conditions must be made clear.

Only white-listed jurisdictions are allowed to advertise gambling in the UK. White-listed jurisdictions are countries based outside the European Economic Area such as the Isle of Man and Alderney. The White List is devised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. More information can be found at www.culture.gov.uk

Complaints and disputes

All operators must have a procedure to deal with customer complaints and disputes. If you make a complaint, you should be advised of the details of the person you should contact and provided with a copy of the complaints procedure.

If you are unhappy with how your complaint has been handled or the outcome, the operator must provide you with details of an independent third-party to review your dispute.