Online Casinos Climb as Covid-19

Online Casinos are picking up steam again as pandemic restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the new coronavirus begin to be lifted. According to the latest figures released by the Gambling Commission, the gambling market appears to be entering a new phase, which may indicate a rise in new risks.

Online Casinos bets on real poker events

Gross Gambling Income (GGY) increased 115% for online betting on real events between May and June and rose to £ 217.5 million. In June, GGY was higher than the pre-blocking average.

The return of the player-friendliness trappings in June indicates a high frequency of matches such as top-notch football, live streaming, and viewing of matches played throughout the day and evening, resulting in favorable player relations.

All Slots Casino in May 2020

While in May 2020 it seemed that the number of people playing slot machines increased by 1%, during the same period the total number of bets on slot machines decreased by 5% with a corresponding decrease in losses of 10% per active player.

The loss per player is significantly higher for slots than any other form of online gambling, with an average monthly loss of £ 68 for slots compared to £ 54 for live events and £ 37 for casinos in June.

Involving the community in the consumer product

The number of gambling or products undertaken by a consumer during one session is a possible indicator of risk that needs to be carefully managed.

Licensed operators have been given instructions that need to be implemented to ensure the safety of players and access to the necessary support for those at risk. These guidelines include:

In particular, look at the time indicators to capture more than 1 hour of play, as this is an indicator of potential harm.

Set additional or change existing thresholds and triggers that apply to new customers, reflecting the operator’s ignorance of the person’s casino games online model and costs.

Implement processes that continuously monitor your customer base, identifying customers whose play, spending, or behavior patterns have changed over the past few weeks.

Assess financial inclusion for individuals against existing or new thresholds and triggers indicating that consumers are harmed. Consider limiting or blocking further play until checks are completed and supporting evidence is obtained.

Prevent the possibility of reverse withdrawals for clients until further notice.

Discontinue bonus offers or promotions to customers that display harm indicators

The Gambling Commission recommends that all thresholds and triggers used to track vulnerabilities be reviewed to ensure they reflect the changing financial circumstances that many consumers will face.

Particular attention should be paid to those thresholds and triggers that are early reset as a precautionary measure to ensure that customers with emerging vulnerabilities, such as increased casino games online time or increased spending, are identified.

Uptrend warning

Based on the statistics collected, the number of online slot sessions over an hour decreased by 5% in June (from 2,085,023 to 1,987,121). At the same time, the average session duration decreased by 1 minute.

Between May and June, the number of customer interactions increased by 12% (from 760.48 to 849,428), however, some of these interactions were automated.