Responsible Gaming refers to a set of policies and requirements applicable to those involved in the gambling industry. The aim is to ensure that the highest quality standards are adhered to and to provide a safe user experience that protects people from the potential negative consequences of gambling activities.
Based on the assumption that gambling should be regarded as a pastime, a way to have fun, and not as a means to generate income, stakeholders, i.e. online operators and software providers, are obliged to respect the principles of Responsible Gaming in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Responsible Gaming, with all the information and tools related to it, always occupies an important part in the pages of any online casino present on the network.
7 areas of responsible gambling defined by the iGaming industry
The areas of Responsible Gaming directly related to the iGaming sector, refer to:
– Protection of vulnerable players
– Prevention and prohibition of underage gambling
– Security measures against criminal/illicit activities
– Privacy policy
– Protection of online payments
– Safe online environment
– Ethical and responsible marketing
Gambling limits
The protection of vulnerable gamblers is one of the most important areas of responsible gambling. Some people may develop problems of addiction to gambling, which turns from simple enjoyment into an obsession that can affect their working, emotional and social lives.
Tools for self-limitation from gambling
Other measures implemented to protect vulnerable gamblers include limits on the amount of money and time (self-limitation tools) they can spend on a gaming site.
In the first case, each player, before starting to bet, has the possibility to set a predetermined monthly amount or linked to a particular game to put a limit on the possible loss of money from gaming activity. In the second case, he can enter a time parameter for the duration of the session that prevents him from losing hours and hours behind a game and helps him to keep track of the daily time spent playing.
On the prevention of underage gaming
The law expressly prohibits gambling by individuals who have not reached the age of majority. As such, online operators are required to take necessary measures to ensure that minors do not access gambling activities on their websites. To this end, they must present clear registration procedures for all players and adopt mandatory age verification procedures for players.
Specifically, gaming operators adopt real-time verification tools to prevent minors from opening a gambling account, and through the cooperation of the ADM exercise double verification of the documentation sent by users during registration.
We would like to remind you that all games with cash winnings are reserved for adults and can cause pathological addiction and that gaming operators must display the 18+ logo.
Self-exclusion
One of the main measures imposed by legislators and adopted by online casinos refers to self-exclusion programs. When a player feels the need to take a break from gambling, every licensed online casino offers an option called self-exclusion, which can be of two types (temporary or permanent).
When the player decides to temporarily self-exclude, the casino blocks his account for a period set by the user and he will no longer be able to make any transactions or play. After the self-exclusion period has expired, the user will be able to access the gaming activity again without any further notification.
In addition to temporary self-exclusion, there is also the possibility of permanent self-exclusion from the game, i.e. without a time limit. In this case, after six months from the blocking of the gaming account, the user can request readmission to the platform by sending a written request for revocation and attaching a valid identity document, which will be subject to a double-check.
The objective of this tool is to recover a balanced attitude towards gaming, which is focused on fun without becoming an obsession or an economic problem.
Association against pathological gambling
There are a number of associations operating in Canada to combat pathological gambling and to promote legal and responsible gambling. The gaming operators themselves also develop programs of a national nature to inform players of any problems that may arise from compulsive gambling.
The gamblers anonymous association
In addition to institutional bodies and responsible gambling programs developed by legal operators, there are private organisations, which are made up of problem gamblers themselves who pool their subjective experiences to try to solve the problem of compulsive gambling.
