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6 FAQs about the Gambling Commission’s New Rules on Action for At-Risk Customers
In a move aimed at bolstering consumer protection and addressing the growing concerns surrounding problem gambling, the Gambling Commission has recently introduced a series of new rules for gambling operators. These guidelines specifically relate to the evaluation of customer interactions, ensuring that operators engage with consumers who may be at risk of developing gambling-related issues.
Read our 6 FAQs below:
1: What are the new rules set by the Gambling Commission?
The Gambling Commission has introduced new rules that focus on safeguarding at-risk customers in the gambling industry. These rules require operators to evaluate their interactions with consumers and ensure they address problem gambling concerns at the earliest stage possible. These include:
- Monitor a specific range of indicators, as a minimum, to identify gambling harm.
- Flag indicators of harm and take action in a timely manner.
- Implement automated processes for strong indicators of harm.
- Prevent marketing and the take-up of new bonuses for at risk customers.
- Evaluate their interactions and ensure they interact with consumers at least at the level of problem gambling for the relevant activity.
- Evidence their customer interaction evaluation to the Gambling Commission during routine casework.
- Comply with these requirements at all times, this includes ensuring the compliance of third-party providers.
2: Who do these rules apply to?
These rules apply to all gambling operators and entities involved in the gambling industry, including online betting platforms, casinos, and any third-party providers working in collaboration with gambling operators.
3: What does “customer interaction evaluation” mean?
Customer interaction evaluation refers to the process through which gambling operators monitor and analyse their customers’ gambling behaviour and patterns. It involves identifying signs of potential problem gambling and intervening to assist those at risk.
4: How can operators evidence their customer interaction evaluation?
Operators must document their customer interaction evaluations thoroughly. This evidence will be required to be presented to the Gambling Commission during routine casework and inspections. Proper documentation demonstrates operators’ adherence to the guidelines and their commitment to consumer protection.
5: Do these rules apply to all types of gambling activities?
Yes, the rules apply to all relevant gambling activities offered by operators. Whether it’s online betting, casino gaming, or any other form of gambling, operators must ensure they comply with the rules and conduct customer interaction evaluations across all activities.
6: Are there any consequences for non-compliance with these rules?
Yes, there are consequences for non-compliance. Operators must adhere to these rules at all times. Failure to comply may result in severe penalties, including fines and potential revocation of gambling licenses.
Quality assurance teams in contact centres play a vital role in ensuring compliance with these rules. By implementing robust quality control measures, contact centres can monitor interactions with customers effectively. Training staff to recognise signs of problem gambling and providing appropriate support when needed is crucial to meet the Commission’s requirements.
Evaluagent’s quality assurance platform can help with just that. Our Auto-QA product enables you to build topics to spot customer vulnerability, in addition to a variety of out-of-the-box topics to highlight specifics in a conversation, such as vulnerability and complaints, or build your own topics.
Features such as Conversation Search can be used to look for specific terms and phrases to locate conversations that contain a combination of words and phrases, you can then save these to identify these conversations easily – no more searching through thousands of conversations and potentially missing high-risk interactions.Remember, the ultimate goal is to create a safer gambling environment for all consumers. Quality assurance teams and contact centres can actively contribute to this mission by ensuring that the new rules are adhered to, thereby safeguarding at-risk customers in the gambling industry.
For more information on automating compliance, click here.
By Emily Broom
Emily is Evaluagent’s Head of Demand Generation and takes the lead on marketing strategy and campaign implementation for new customer acquisition, prioritising brand trust and thought leadership for outstanding customer experiences.
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