The betting and gaming council (BGC) has reasserted its position on safe and responsible gambling as a second lockdown gets underway in England. They have committed themselves to a 10-point pledge which is designed to protect customers and employees alike.
Safety and welfare are of paramount importance
The BGC initially outlined their 10-point pledge back in March 2020, when the very first lockdown across the United Kingdom occurred. It was created to help ease concerns about problem gambling arising online whilst land-based betting shops and casinos were closed.
“Our members did not hesitate to sign up to our 10-pledge action plan in March and I am delighted that they have done so again as we, regrettably, go back into some form of lockdown, admittedly with far fewer restrictions this time,” stated Michael Dugher, the CEO of BGC.
He continued: “Nothing is more important than the safety and welfare of our staff and customers, and these pledges make very clear the standards expected of our members in the coming weeks.”
Commitment to improving the industry standards
The BGC’s 10-point pledge is firm but fair. Some of the stipulations include increasing safer gambling messages across platforms, stepping up interventions for problem gambling, reporting illegal or black-market online operators immediately, and carefully monitoring iGaming advertisements to ensure they are appropriate and responsible.
“This is further evidence of our commitment, ahead of the Government’s Review, to driving up standards across our industry, as well as our members’ strong support to supporting the national effort to defeat COVID-19,” Dugher said of their pledge.
With the council’s dedication to protecting its customers, they should be able to mitigate the rise in problem gambling online, even during these difficult times.