Like all businesses, gambling also needs to be licensed, regulated and monitored. This helps uphold standards and it can keep both punters and those who work within the industry, safe. With the continued expansion of the gambling industry and more especially the online slots sector, it is vital to keep high standards of transparency and fairness to reassure the public that they are betting in a safe environment.
This has not always been possible, as was the case back in 1996 when online slots sites exploded on the scene and multiplied uncontrollably across the internet – play Emoji Planet slot. With no real rules to govern these sites, unscrupulous practices became commonplace, leaving behind a trail of disgruntled punters. This caused concern and the result was the creation of the UK Gambling Commission.
What Does the UK Gambling Commission Actually Do?
During the online gambling revolution, the industry was crying out for one body to take charge and clean up the industry. However, it wasn’t until September 2007 when this finally became a reality and it came in the shape of the already mentioned UK Gambling Commission. Its main purpose has become to license and regulate all forms of gambling in the UK. The laws it sees fit to pass are also developed to keep punters safe and prevent problem gambling and gambling addiction. The advantages of the formation of such a body, is that it reacts to the ever-changing gambling environment and can create new laws to counter act new problems that may arise. The UK Gambling Commission also sets out the rules that gambling brands must abide by if they want a license to operate in the UK.
Recent Rule changes
The UK Gambling Commission has recently been busy reacting to the modern gambling habits of the British public and the changing online gambling environment. Fixed-odds betting terminals had the maximum bets slashed to £2. From April 2020 it became illegal to gamble at online slots sites with credit cards and the latest discussions involve lowering the maximum bets that can be placed on any individual online slot spin to £2, in line with fixed-odds betting terminals. Whether this becomes a law remains to be seen.
· The UK Gambling Commission regulates and licences all forms of gambling in the UK
· The UK Gambling Commission consults with the government and pressure groups to pass new gambling laws
· Punters can contact the commission if they have any concerns about slot sites
Final Thoughts
The slots industry and the slots game developers themselves, are closely monitored by the UK Gambling Commission and game testing labs. This means that if they want their games to be released in the UK or their slots brands to open online casinos, then they have to pass certain criteria to do so. Only then can they be licensed to operate in the UK. This helps to keep punters safe from unlicensed venues that do not follow any gambling rules or regulations at all.
