As the UK economy enters a new phase of restrictions being lifted, the UKGC has underlined the need for ‘extra vigilance from operators’.
The regulatory body outlined that when restrictions are lifted and as economic circumstances change dramatically in the UK, strengthened guidance will remain in place.
As part of the guidance, operators are urged to engage with increased interaction with users, as well as taking a heightened focus on wagering data.
The Commission also pinpointed on-boarding new customers and affordability checks as being crucial when it comes to ensuring an efficient responsible gambling strategy is formed.
In terms of the data, the Commission highlighted that alterations to the sporting schedules had a significant impact on British gross gambling yield in 2020 and 2021, with UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) data highlighting this effect.
Taking into account both online and retail-based gambling via data from Licenced Betting Offices (LBOs) between March 2020 and December 2021, the UKGC’s report revealed that throughout Q2 2021 – referring to the financial year 2021-22 – total online GGY stood at £421 million in December, meaning the total figure for Q3 decreased by 6% from the previous quarter to £1.2 million.
Online real event betting also declined from Q2 to Q3 by 16%, a total of just under £461 million, whilst active player numbers also fell by 5% during this period, although the number of bets increased by 4%.
Meanwhile, total LBO GGY also decreased between the second and third quarters by 1% to £533 million, although the total number of wagers placed and slot spins played increased by 3.3 billion, a rise of 4%, with the number of player accounts remaining steady.
