Gambling Laws in the UK 2021

The UK gambling laws have been getting stricter and stricter as each year comes. This is because problem gambling and underage gambling is quite common in the UK. The changes to gambling laws have seen many top online gaming sites such as William Hill and Coral issued hefty fines by the UK Gambling Commission. The UK is the largest gambling market and the UKGC overlooks this ever-growing market with a stern eye. We can expect plenty more changes to gambling laws in the UK in 2021 with player protection is the main priority for the UKGC in 2021.

UK gambling restrictions to expect in 2021

With past changes targeting incentives, we can expect this to continue with stricter rules likely to come into place against VIP schemes. Online casinos and other gaming sites will be required to restrict their VIP offering and how they target players with bigger bankrolls. With limits to building customer loyalty through VIP treatment will undoubtedly have a big financial impact on the industry. Further to that, players who display excessive spending on casinos will likely be capped to a spending limit. Ultimately, killing off the online casino whale. These are tactics that would be in place to protect players from losing control of their gaming. 

Online gambling sites have dominated the advertising domains, TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboard and websites are bursting with gambling advertisements. This will likely be curbed with more advertising restrictions to prevent underage children from being exposed to gambling.

We could also see limits imposed on casino bonusing for UK players in 2021. In the past, Casinos have not been clear about the wagering terms that restrict players from withdrawing cash. We could be seeing more transparency in this area. 

Previous changes to UK gambling laws

Recent years has seen plenty of changes to UK gambling laws. Online gaming sites were once free to advertise wherever and whenever they liked, gone are those days. Today, you are not allowed to use imagery that may appeal to children and advertisements must not glorify gambling and suggest it’s your way to riches – think big mansions, fast cars and beautiful women in TV ads. 

Online gaming sites have had to carry out a harder identity check and KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures to make sure players are not underage or abusing the system. 

About the UK Gambling Commission

The UK Gambling Act was last reviewed in 2005 so we can expect a solid overhaul of changes to the regulation. The government has stated that it intends to shake things up in 2021 with the prime minister likely to spearhead the changes to gambling laws. Of course, there is no guarantee of any changes until they happen, but we can be sure that the laws will not be eased but tightened up. Any changes will make online gaming operators likely to be hit with more fines in the future. Furthermore, the tax laws may also be reviewed which will surely put the fear of God into the operators.

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