Are there Organisations that Monitor Slots Sites?
Players have enjoyed online slots promotion and other offers since they were first released in the mid nineties. Online slots have expanded rapidly over the past few years with a bigger emphasis on playing from mobile devices and enjoying quick sessions on the go rather than playing long hours sitting at home.
While online slot players may not realise it, online slots are actually heavily regulated. These regulations don’t actually impact players all that much, instead the regulations are more on the slot sites. Governing bodies must monitor slot sites because if they were unregulated there is the chance that they could scam customers.
Slot Regulation History
Before we discuss what these governing bodies are monitoring for, it is important to understand just who the governing bodies are in UK gambling. In 2005, the UK government introduced a law which would completely change gambling across the country.
The gambling act introduced the Gambling Commission and handed over the responsibility from the Gaming Board of Great Britain on regulating things such as betting, bingo, slot machines and even casinos. In 2007 the Gambling Commission assumed full power and has not looked back since. They are responsible for ensuring that licensed betting places and sites work fairly and in the interest of the customer.
Any establishment which wants to use a slot machine for its customers must first apply for a license from the Gambling Commission, this license costs over five thousand pounds and continuing payments must be made each year that companies wish to retain their licenses.
Slot Regulation Today
To ensure that gambling institutes comply with the 2005 gambling act, the Gambling Commission has special powers which lets them monitor and regulate gambling institutions. If they find any breaches, no matter how minor or unintentional, the Gambling Commission can enforce penalties which if not followed can lead to the institution getting it’s license revoked!
The Gambling Commission will take action for breaches such as failing to meet a payment, money laundering, ownership change and even death. These punishments can range from a small warning all the way to being completely banned.
Future Regulations
The future of slot regulation is unclear, though there is currently government legislation being reviewed which would enforce regulations on gambling institutions much harder. The reason for this is because the government wants a bigger effort being made to tackle gambling addiction from the slot sites.
Another area which could see further regulation is in the advertising of online slots. Some slot games have been banned completely from advertising by the Gambling Commission due to the advertisements appealing to children more than grown adults. This is seen as unintentionally encouraging children to gamble, something which is illegal to do.
The slot in question had bright colours and friendly characters, meaning that it could be easily mistaken for a child’s game by younger people. One drastic piece of regulation that may come into force is an outright ban on advertising slot games.
Conclusion
While players may not realise it, online slot sites and casinos will attest that they are heavily regulated by governing bodies. These restrictions are enforced to help discourage gambling addictions and make sure that children won’t accidentally play a slot game.
