UKGC: Games warning for online operators

Online gambling operators are being reminded to check that their games meet transparency and safety standards expected by the Gambling Commission.

The reminder follows discovery that six operators were offering products providing ‘feature buy-in’ facilities on slots style games. This facility gave consumers the option of staking significant amounts of money to access the bonus feature without playing the initial stages of the game. One game was charging more than £3,000 to enter the bonus feature.

The Commission’s remote gambling and software technical standards contain the following requirements:

• RTS requirement 3A: An explanation of the applicable rules must be easily available to the customer before they commit to gamble. The content including artwork and text must be accurate, and sufficient to explain all of the applicable rules and how to participate. All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that the content is understandable.
• RTS requirement 14A: Gambling products must not actively encourage customers to chase their losses, increase their stake or increase the amount they have decided to gamble, or continue to gamble after they have indicated that they wish to stop.

All six operators contacted regarding use of the ‘feature buy in’ element have now removed it from their sites.