Gambling Commission Calls for Better Information for Players

The Gambling Commission has called for operators to do more to ensure players fully understand the betting products they are engaging with, finding the ability for players to make informed choices can be eroded during play.

Research carried out by the British regulator set out to establish what ‘informed choice’ means to gambling consumers in practice. It combined a review of 53 existing sources, three deliberative focus groups, and four in-depth interviews with players at higher risk of harm, mapping findings against the Commission's Path to Play Framework.

The three deliberate focus groups each consisted of six participants, who all had a Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score of below 8; a score of 8 or higher classes someone as a problem gambler. Each in-depth interview was held with players who did score 8 or higher on the PGSI.

How the groups were made up

The first focus group was made up of a mix of casual and regular sports bettors. The second group consisted of a mix of occasional and frequent players who predominantly engaged in online gambling such as slot games or casino-like games. Meanwhile, the third group was a mix of individuals who gamble in land-based betting shops.

Some participants described situations where information about games, odds, or rules was difficult to find, such as in gambling venues where they felt the need to ask dealers or staff members for clarification, or when playing online live casino games.

Some felt the definition of informed choice could place more emphasis on operators’ responsibility to protect players, particularly in supporting consumers who may be at greater risk of gambling-related harm.

There was considerable variation regarding participants’ sense of how informed they felt. Unsurprisingly, those who played familiar games or had more experience at playing them tended to feel confident in their understanding. However, several participants noted uncertainty around complex terms and mechanics such as return-to-player metrics.

Recommendations made

Concluding the report, the Commission said there is a disconnect between information being available and consumers feeling informed. At all stages of the customer journey, participants said there were situations where information existed on the platform, but this did not necessarily translate into the player feeling informed. Issues included terms and conditions being too long and difficulty interpreting profit and loss.

The report proposed a consumer-centred baseline definition that will guide future work. This includes the requirement of rules, odds, mechanics, costs, and risks of a product to be presented so that players can fully understand and use them with the same prominence as promotions and rewards.

Another recommendation is that information and support should be adapted to a player's experience, capability, and changing state, including an active commitment towards consumer protection and those at greater risk of harm.

Right information, right time

In a separate blog post, Donna Bateman, Strategy Manager for the Commission, wrote:

“The concept of 'informed choice' is a key tenet of consumer protection and rights law, and at a basic level, it means giving the consumer the right information at the right time in a way they understand so they can make a genuine decision.

“We were keen that the consumer view played a central role in our deeper assessment of fairness and transparency issues, and that starts with 'informed choice'. While many factors that support 'informed choice' are already understood, we wanted a deeper insight into what this means for gambling consumers, both as a concept and in practice.”