Noticeable uptick in self-exclusion gambling cases

The current UK Gambling Commission review on gambling in the UK during the 2016-2017 period reveals that gambling firms received almost 50,000 requests to self-exclude from punters over the period.

Across all forms of UK gambling there were 49,385 requests.

That’s an increase of 7,000 over the corresponding period in the previous year, and comes as operators prepare to implement a mandatory nation-wide, single entry scheme for self-exclusions dubbed Gamstop (see previous reports).

Once installed and operational in 2018 the system will replace the present practice of punters having to self-exclude from specific casinos or websites, enabling them to opt out of gambling with a single request via a dedicated website.

The Commission has predicted that in the not too distant future more than half of UK gambling will be online (currently over a third is via the internet).

Gambling spend online increased by more than GBP 428 million in 2016-17 compared with the year before, delivering GGY of GBP 4.7 billion, whilst spend on the National Lottery fell by GBP 438 million. Total spend on gambling – all types – increased by GBP 249 million.

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