Cross-industry group calls for extension of “vital” player protection measures post Covid-19

The Gambling Health Alliance (GHA) has called on UK operators to extend targeted player protection measures beyond the end of the Covid-19 lockdown to ensure returning gamblers are protected from harm.

The cross-industry advocacy group has said, as part of a precautionary approach towards returning players, operator measures should be extended to cover affordability assessments, promotional activities and a review of operator thresholds for all existing and new customers.

In addition, the group has said current restrictions on gambling advertising need to be widened to include online gambling and social media.

Qualifying this stance, the GHA cited its own research that two in five regular gamblers (40%) had seen an increase in advertising for online gambling sites on social media while under lockdown.

Welcoming measures taken by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) to stop TV and radio ads for a six-week period as a “step in the right direction”, the GHA has called on BGC members to extend this blackout to online and social media.

In addition, the GHA is also calling for a ban on National Lottery advertising, claiming it could serve as a trigger for those vulnerable to gambling-related harm.

The GHA is made up of three groups: the Gambling-Related Harm All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), the Royal Society for the Protection of Public Health (RSPH) and the End High Cost Credit Alliance.

APPG vice chair Ronnie Cowan claimed the nature of social media carried increased risk because of the personalisation of ads targeting users.

“We must do everything we can to protect people that are liable to experience gambling-related harm and a full ban of advertising is the most secure way we have,” said Cowan.

“In the same way as isolation protects us from Covid-19, being isolated from gambling adverts helps to isolate us from gambling-related harm,” Cowan added.