In today's digital era you can bet on anything, anytime and virtually from anywhere. From the appealing ads and increased gambling opportunities with lot of promotions attract players. Hence, it requires creating awareness towards responsible gambling.
“Responsible Gambling" is a broad concept and involves behavior and quality of gambling. This offers a fair and safe gaming experience that protects players from potential bankruptcy and anti-social elements.
There are few major principles that gambling operators, management, and service providers should take into consideration for responsible gaming.
Protecting vulnerable gamblers: It is concerned with the process of identifying and protecting vulnerable players from financial abuse and scams. The Gambling Commission must introduce a number of precautions to safeguard the players, such as self-exclusion (permanent and temporary) programs and processes, time-out, deposit limits, educating on staying in control and reality checks.
The prevention of underage gambling: Around 7% of adult are already at risk of developing or are already having a gambling problem. Adults experiencing underage gambling are at high risk for engaging in theft, becoming nervous or depressed, and have an elevated risk of suicide.
One of the major contributing factors to underage gambling is being exposed to gambling including scratch-off tickets given as gifts, cards, dice, board games, going to bingo or casino halls or other gambling events with family members, and sports betting. By limiting exposure to these circumstances, we reduce the risk of underage gambling.
Problem gambling is preventable and our community should support to prevent underage gambling.
Safety measures against fraudulent and criminal activities: Like any other e-commerce or online banking transactions, gambling websites are also likely to be exposed by hackers. To stop this growing tendency, operators are required to implement software programs and anti-money laundering policies and procedures that detect and block hacking activities. This involves implementing effective “Know Your Player” processes while registering new players and monitoring and reporting any suspicious transactions.
Ensuring information privacy: Information privacy refers to the need of keeping players private information and records safe from unauthorized or unnecessary disclosure. By introducing several strong policies and procedures to control access to important private data, starting with the player's name, address, age, telephone number and email address. Operators need to make sure that information privacy is respected and they are in line to prevent unauthorized disclosure and use of player’s personal and sensitive information.
Ensuring prompt and accurate online payments: Operators who offer online betting options for lottery and casino games need to make sure that players need to access a reliable gaming software platform, which can protect their financial transactions. This is the main reason why operators must give prime attention while choosing the best gaming platform for players to safely deposit, transfer and withdraw their funds.
Operators must ensure that player’s funds are managed separately from their own accounts. They should have enough cleared funds to pay all player winning prize and outstanding player wallet balances.
Delivering a fair gaming experience: Operators must ensure all gaming software and products are tested to make sure they are fair and unbiased. And they follow the guidelines and rules of that specific game. Testing and certification need to e carried out by an independent organization.
Secure operating environment and customer satisfaction: Operators are required to showcase a series of internal controls and mechanisms that stick to the licensing conditions as stipulated by the regulatory jurisdiction. Operators need to make sure their websites are safe and reliable where players can have fun in a secure gambling environment and all financial transactions, technical system and processes operate securely and effectively.
Ethical and responsible marketing: Operators should follow with the relevant regulatory advertising codes of practice which typically make sure that advertisements are factually correct and do not target underage or vulnerable gamblers, such as players who have self-excluded themselves from any forms of gambling. It is also expected that operators should seek permission from the player prior to engaging in direct marketing through the use of the player’s personal information.
Over the years, LocusPlay is providing a secure platform for management, operators and service providers and are committed to making gambling responsible. We have taken various protective measures to securing infrastructure and operations: like software and hardware firewalls, DDOS protection mechanisms, and continuous security assessments to provide robust and reliable services.
The decision to make responsible gambling and to create a safe and secure environment for players is a common venture for gambling platform providers, operators, and regulators.
As the underlying principles of responsible gambling are integrated into our management system and online gambling products, we make sure players avoid gambling addiction, underage gambling problems, and dealing with privacy breaches and online threats.