Safe gambling has always been – and always will be – an important issue that affects every poker online player. Naturally, poker should be an enjoyable experience, and never exceeding your betting limits is a big part of it.
Casinos often pride themselves for encouraging responsible gambling, but they can do very little to actually ensure the safety of the players. They often impose an age limit or inform troubled gamblers where they can receive some help, but nothing else.
That is why a UK organization decided to take matters into its own hands. How are they planning on keeping players from risking their finances? And what does the future hold for poker players in Great Britain? It is time to find out the answers to these questions.
New Gambling Limitations Proposed in the UK
The government has already made it clear that [gambling laws should change to encompass online betting as well, but no official decisions have been made yet.
That is why the Social Market Foundation (SMF) published a report filled with propositions on how to change the 2005 Gambling Act. In the published document, the organization sets out a clear roadmap on how to make gambling fairer and less harmful to the players.
The key points that are discussed in the report are as follows:
- Gambling licenses – According to the report, the integrity of British gambling licenses have been compromised. Therefore, restoring people's faith in the local licensing system is of the utmost importance. The SMF suggests implementing transparency policies when it comes to regulatory sanctions, stop re-branding schemes, and more.
- Gambling content – The report brings up the subject of limiting bets while taking into account the stakes and speed of play. For online slots, for example, the SMF suggests a betting limit between £1 and £5. In other games, such as poker, those limits won't apply, and they recommend adjusting the limits to the game's design.
- Gambling affordability – Overspending is one of the main issues this report is set on solving. That is why the SMF recommends taking into consideration income levels and living standards to make sure players won't exceed their gambling limits. After analyzing data, the report suggests a £100 deposit limit per month, as this is the average betting sum.
- Gambling tax – The report also seeks to change taxing regulations, designed to put pressure on companies situated abroad. Generally, the goal is to move operations to the UK itself, thus helping the local economy.
- The regulatory framework for gambling – The report's authors also believe that there should be more government departments responsible for different aspects of gambling. In the report, they say that the current system is " no longer fit for purpose".
In Conclusion
The SMF has one goal: to publish research on public policy, thus encouraging the creation of better, smarter regulations. As the British government is planning on reviews gambling laws in the near future, the SMF decided to collect data and publish relevant guidelines concerning the matter.
But while the organization's report was well-researched and comprehensive, there is no telling whether the government will execute the report's suggestions. Which key points did you find the most relevant and important?