COVID-19 Lockdown: New Measures and Research Come to the UK as Concerns of Problem Gambling Rise
Whilst the bricks-and-mortar side of the gambling industry has faced major closures, online casinos are still in operation, leading many to grow concerned over the impact lockdown will have on problem gamblers.
One new survey aims to study this, working to find ways to help those most vulnerable whilst in lockdown. This survey is being conducted by a group focused on exploring gambling patterns throughout Glasgow – The Gambling Harms Group.
This January, the group begun a 3-year project to help better understand the harms people within Glasgow experience, as well as ways to respond to it. However, as the UK went into lockdown concerns were raised as to how this would impact those most vulnerable to problem gambling.
Since the lockdown began, the Gambling Harms Group has re-shifted their focus, now studying the city's gambling behaviour whilst in the lockdown period. In this survey is intended to find out whether the lockdown has caused any changes within the gambling-related issues that surround Glasgow's community.
Protecting the Vulnerable From Problem Gambling
Various different regulations have recently been implemented in a bid to protect those vulnerable to gambling related harm. In April, the UK imposed a credit card ban, stopping people from using credit cards to fund their online gambling. This regulation also extended to preventing users transferring funds from a credit card onto an e-wallet which would then be used on online gambling sites (source: Netticasinot).
The Gambling Commission's Chief Executive Neil McArthur made the following statement on this credit card ban:
"This credit card ban will further protect consumers from financial harm and from today [14th April], nobody in Great Britain can use a credit card to gamble. It is a ban which ultimately reduces the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have."
In addition to this, the UKGC is using £9 million to help boost services for gambling harm treatment during the current pandemic. The money for this boost comes from gambling operators that have paid for failures in regulatory compliance. The UKGC state:
"Some £9m in funds from regulatory settlements will be paid to GambleAware – a commissioning charity that supports initiatives to tackle gambling related harm across the country."
"The money, which will be for use by GambleAware and its partners, will be directed to help ensure treatment and support services can continue to operate effectively and withstand additional pressures on their services caused by the Covid-19 outbreak".