With the White Paper on the 2005 Gambling Act review on the horizon, operators need to effectively implement a collaborative approach to ensure player protection remains paramount.
Sharing her insights with SBC Senior Media Executive Erin Gallagher at Betting on Sports Europe (BOSE) 2021, Hayley Jane Smith, Interim Head of Safer Gambling Standards at Gamcare, pointed to this cross-industry strategy as vital.
When quizzed for her views on what betting operators can do to maintain momentum on safer gambling and ensure that player protection remains at the forefront of developments, Smith highlighted a need for a ‘huge collaborative approach’.
“Collaboration is going to be everything that drives this industry forward,” she explained. “They’ve got to share best practice with each other and listen to research as well.”
Detailing GamCare’s Safer Gambling Kitemark, Smith explained that the certification is awarded following an assessment of gambling operators. Areas of investigation include governance, employee training, customer journeys and self-exclusion processes, in addition to other areas of social responsibility.
The audit process, she explained, is used to determine whether operators are “going above and beyond the regulations and not just sticking to the basic levels of the requirements could really make a difference within the industry”.
Smith commented: “There are a lot of options out there for the industry, in terms of training and making sure that teams are trained to the right levels.“
Moving forward into 2022, Smith outlined that the charity will ‘continue to work in a collaborative way’ with charities and trade associations to share findings on best practices, whilst awaiting the publishing of the Gambling Act review White Paper.
Due in the Spring, the White Paper will establish the key outcomes of the overhaul of Britain’s legislature regarding betting and gaming, of which a ban on betting shirt sponsorships is reportedly a likely outcome, whilst enhanced affordability measures have also been touted.
