Online gambling is slowly becoming accepted and regulated across much of the world. As it does, and we learn more about the harm that gambling can cause to vulnerable people, the emphasis on responsible gambling measures is growing stronger. Most online gambling platforms now include responsible gambling measures as a standard feature.
Online gambling is becoming more common and accepted across many different regions. As it does so, there has been a concerted move towards ensuring that people partake in it in a responsible way. This is where responsible gambling measures enter the picture. These used to be restricted to the few jurisdictions that mandated their inclusion, but now they are pretty much standard in any online gaming platform that is worth knowing about.
The main impetus for the increasing commonality of responsible gambling measures is that there is also an increasing amount of knowledge about the potential harm that gambling can cause. As regulators acknowledge these possibilities, they have begun to push towards the creation of a safer and more responsible online gambling ecosystem. It doesn't matter if you are in Oceania and looking for free spins no deposit NZ platforms, or in Europe trying to find some fun slot games to play while you wait for a train; the platforms you play on are almost certain to include responsible gambling tools.
Let's take a closer look at what exactly these tools constitute and why they are now so ubiquitous.
What Constitutes A Responsible Gambling Measure?
Anything that is designed to give players extra time to think and to help them stay within a safe spending limit can be considered a responsible gambling measure. These tools include everything from ID checkers that prevent underage gambling to reality check alerts that try to mitigate the chances of gambling addiction. Regardless of whether a player is spinning digital slot reels or betting on racing or any other sort of sport, many responsible gambling tools remain the same. You can also include elements of transparency around the likelihood of winning as such a tool.
Responsible gambling measures cover a broad swathe of different tools and design choices, but we can break them down into a few different types that are relatively common.
Tools Under Player Control
There is a range of tools that are, broadly speaking, under the control of the player. They are designed to put the responsibility in the hands of the player and get them to think more deeply about what they are doing. Some common types of these tools include:
- Self-exclusion tools - These allow users to block themselves for certain lengths of time.
- Deposit limits - This sort of tool lets the player set an amount that they are comfortable depositing within a certain time frame.
- Session timers - Let the player know after a certain amount of time has passed.
- Loss or wager limiters - These will alert or block the players from playing after they have wagered or lost a set amount.
- Reality checks - Similar to session timers, these will alert the player to how long and how much they've spent while playing.
Monitoring Systems Controlled by Operators
With the power of modern AI, data analysis is becoming a much more powerful tool. Operators in the online gambling world use tools that analyze user behavior to try and identify problem trends. These kinds of tools can include the following:
- Restricting accounts that show signs of overspending or other harmful tendancies.
- Flagging users for welfare checks.
- Identifying increasing amounts being deposited.
- Keeping an eye on spending patterns that might be unusual for that user to combat fraud.
Government-Led Regulatory Control
The final main kind of responsible gambling measure is the one that governments and regulatory bodies set. These are tools that players and operators must comply with. Many of the other kinds of tools can be said to fall under this umbrella, but there are some unique ones, such as:
- ID and age verification.
- Transparency around odds and chances of winning.
- Restrictions on advertising and marketing.
- Penalties for operators who do not adhere to player protection protocols correctly.
Why is There Now Such a Strong Focus on Responsible Gambling Measures?
Responsible gambling measures weren't always an important part of the ouvre of online gambling platforms, but there are a number of clear reasons that they have become relatively standard amongst online gambling platforms worldwide.
Gambling Harm Awareness is More Common
As the availability of gambling activities has risen, so has awareness of the potential dangers associated with it. While there is by no means a certainty that anyone who gambles is in danger, indeed, that is the very point of responsible gambling initiatives, it can be risky for vulnerable people.
Online Gambling Grows Explosively
In many regions of the world, online gambling growth has been astoundingly explosive. Some regions have gone from limited availability of gambling to having access to gambling at any time of any day and in any place. This has made the standardization of responsible gambling measures very important.
Regulatory Pressure
Growing pressure from regulatory entities and governments has forced most operators to toe the line and offer responsible gambling tools to players.
Keeping the Industry Sustainable
Smart operators have realized that by allowing players to access responsible gambling tools, they are allowing those players to continue playing over a longer period of time.
Gambling is a Worldwide Phenomenon
With different regions historically having so many different player protection initiatives, operators that include many of these tools and techniques as standard can build platforms that are more easily able to be approved for use in multiple regions.
Final Thoughts
As online gambling has become more ubiquitous, the need for it to be safe has risen at a prodigious rate. Government bodies and other regulatory groups have answered this need by mandating the implementation of responsible gambling tools, which operators have done.
A safer gambling ecosystem is one in which players are in control and are safe, and this is the foundation on which modern online gambling is built.
This article was written in cooperation with BAZOOM