Why Responsible Gambling is Good for Operators

Posted by Harry Kane on Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The gambling industry is often driven by trends, particularly in a well-regulated market such as Europe. This certainly seems to be the case at present, as Belgium’s decision to restrict gambling advertising through broadcast media appears to have resonated with regulatory bodies in the UK.

While this may ultimately prevent gambling brands from advertising during live sporting events, it will also reinforce the principles of socially responsible gambling and ensure that only the most compliant operators are active in the market.

In fact, it may even create opportunities for operators to establish themselves as ambassadors for responsible gaming, while improving the way in which the industry is perceived as a whole.

Why has Responsible Gaming Become Such a Big Issue in the UK?

Aside from the increased regulatory focus on gambling advertising in Belgium, the UK Gambling Commission has also been inspired to take action by a report commissioned by Victoria Derbyshire’s BBC Two show. This found that 95% of all breaks during live football matches contained at least one gambling advert, while 272 from a total of 1,324 commercials across 25 real-time games were related to sports betting. This represents more than 20% of all adverts during these events, as operators look to target gamblers with live and real-time betting opportunities.

The sheer volume and targeted nature of these adverts has raised concerns among regulators, despite protestations from operators that the commercials have a limited impacted on participation rates. The biggest issue appears to be the potential for these adverts to target vulnerable and impulsive individuals, encouraging them to bet on live matches at a time when they caught up with the emotion of the occasion. With responsible gaming a key area of focus for regulators at the moment, it appears as though the government may well implement measures to protect customers.

Does The Focus on Responsible Gaming Really Create an Opportunity for Operators?

At the very least, regulators are likely to ban gambling advertisements during live sporting events. While a watershed of 21:00 currently applies to gambling adverts shown on television, this is relaxed during live matches and has offered brands a loophole that they can successfully leverage. Changing this will represent a significant shift for regulators, while it will also force operators to adapt their strategy and focus predominantly on social and virtual channels.

While this may not seem like a positive development for operators, it does create a unique opportunity in the current climate. More specifically, brands that comply fully with the new regulations and successfully embrace change can establish themselves as true ambassadors for responsible gambling, helping them to build a greater level of trust with customers in the process. Remember, just 36% of shoppers say that they currently trust large brands to do what is right, so taking a positive stance on socially responsible gambling can help to challenge this perception.

This is the type of creative and disruptive approach that can distinguish brands in a competitive market, while in this case it also develops the type of sustainable consumer base that successful businesses thrive on in all industries.