UKGC CEO Sarah Harrison: “Grave Concerns” Over Casino Sign Up Bonuses

gambling commission logoSarah Harrison, CEO at the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), has expressed that she has “grave concerns” regarding sign up bonuses which are regularly offered by casino operators. Whilst Harrison hasn’t expressed any further plans to change any regulation regarding sign up bonuses in the industry, she has stated that the UKGC are working closely with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to confirm that such customer incentives are kept in check.

In a talk at this year’s ICE VOX expo, Harrison expressed her concerns over sign up bonuses: “Last year, I warned on this platform of our concerns with terms and conditions in online gambling. We are leading a programme of work with the Competition and Markets Authority, launched last October, to prioritise action in this area.”


 

Protecting Customers From Bad Sign Up Bonuses

Harrison went on to reason that her underlying concerns over casino sign up bonuses are not unfounded, having based it on an increasing number of complaints that the CMA have had to deal with. She explained: “This is drawing on consumer concerns about online operator practices to cancel bets, alter odds after bets have been accepted, and offer misleading sign-up promotions. The CMA continues to see complaints and has recently extended the scope of its work to include online betting promotions.

sarah harrison ice vox talkHarrison went on to say that she feels the source of the problem is with how casino operators handle their customers and the terms of their bonuses, and it is not simply an inherent problem with sign up bonuses in practice.

She pointed out casino’s customer service as a primary cause for problems: “Despite our clear warnings to industry operators, I continue to have grave concerns about terms which appear to bamboozle rather than help customers make informed choices.

Harrison said that for the past few months, a series of regulators have joined forces with the UKGC in order to combat the problem and find a solution that benefits customers. This collective includes: the UKGC, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Their first port of call of their partnership is to drive up standards when it comes to how casinos communicate with their customers. Harrison pinpointed that the most popular ways for casinos to contact their customers is through misleading marketing practices and unsolicited e-communications, which would include emails and SMS.

 

A Warning To Casino Operators From Regulators

gambling regulationHarrison has been praised for her active and aggressive push for increased regulation in the industry since having taken on the position earlier last year. She made a point that the UKGC aren’t the only regulator making waves when it comes to increasing regulation and protecting consumers.

“In recent months the ICO has launched a wide ranging investigation targeting more than 400 affiliates associated with the gambling industry. We know that the gambling sector is one of the worst offenders when it comes to spam SMS (which breaks the law) – and these practices are often associated with affiliates.”

Her closing statements in her presentation were straight and to the point in holding casino operators responsible for the future of their industry: “My message to those businesses is that they need to get their house in order. But far more importantly, my message to operators is there is no ‘fudge’ around this, no equivocation – the affiliates who promote your brand and who drive business to your websites are your responsibility, and it is you who are accountable.”



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