The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is set to impose a new crackdown on underage gambling after it unveiled ‘tough’ new measures that are aimed at further preventing under-18s from seeing gambling adverts online.
Published in the Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, the new measures have been presented by the standards body which represents the regulated betting industry excluding the National Lottery.
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the BGC, said: “As the new standards body for the regulated sector, we are committed to driving up standards within the betting and gaming industry.
“We have made excellent progress in recent times and the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising is updated as technology evolves. The latest edition is further evidence of our determination to continue to ensure that standards are rising and are as high as they can possibly be.”
BGC members must now ensure that all sponsored or paid for social media adverts must be targeted at consumers aged 25 and over unless the website can prove its adverts can be precisely targeted at over-18s.
Furthermore, the new code also includes a requirement that gambling ads appearing on search engines must make clear that they are for those aged 18 and over, with the adverts themselves also requiring safer gambling messages to appear alongside them.
Dugher added: “BGC members have a zero tolerance attitude to under-18s betting, and from requirements for safer gambling messages to restrictions on YouTube advertising this new code shows how seriously the BGC, who represent regulated betting but not the National Lottery, take our responsibilities.
“At the same time, we urge the Government to work with us to crack down on black market operators who have no interest in safer gambling or protecting their customers and do not work to the same responsible standards as BGC members.”
Other measures include YouTube users needing to use age-verified accounts before they can view gambling ads, with BGC members also required to post frequent responsible gambling messages on their Twitter accounts.
The new code is set to become effective as of 1 October, with the changes now becoming the latest example of the BGC’s determination to drive up standards within the betting and gaming industry.
Other measures include the whistle to whistle ban on TV gambling adverts, a requirement for 20% of all TV and radio ads to be safer gambling messaging, cooling off periods on gaming machines, encouraging deposit limits, new ID and age verification checks and massively increasing funding for research, education and treatment (RET).
Dugher concluded: “It is vital that the big internet platforms honour their responsibilities to protect people online and we hope the Government will use its forthcoming Online Harms Bill to that effect. The Review of the Gambling Act will also provide further opportunities to improve standards and we look forward to working with the Government on this”.