LONDON – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Barring under-age aspirant players and
protecting addicted gamblers from harming themselves financially is at the
centre of the latest initiative launched by self regulatory body eCommerce
and Online Gaming, Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA)
The 56 major online casinos and poker rooms bearing the organisation's
seal will be implementing specific in-house policies and a comprehensive
range of independently enforced requirements designed in collaboration with
the G4 responsible gambling group.
The introduction of the regulations follows an intensive training session
for seal casino managers which took place recently, and cover a wide spectrum
of problem gambling activities from warning under-aged players off to
excluding gamblers with a problem.
All sites will be required to carry a prominent Responsible Gaming
section in which the dangers of under-age and problem gambling are explained.
7 day "cooling off," 6 month self-exclusion or deposit limiting mechanisms
will be provided for gamblers who suspect they may be in difficulties. Staff
will be on the alert for playing and financial patterns that may indicate an
addictive gambler.
Scientifically developed, short self-help diagnostic questionnaires will
be included together with links to problem gambling assistance bodies around
the world.
Training programs are being set up at each casino to give staff tuition
on how to identify and handle problem gamblers, and the use of ID
verification technology as part of the registration process has been
formalised, although this is already in use at many operations.
Special attention is being devoted to preventing underage gamblers from
getting through the casinos' screening processes, using the latest
technology, ID techniques and strong warnings that underage players will be
disqualified and barred.
The new requirements caution marketing departments of seal casinos
against sending any promotional or marketing literature to any player who may
be a problem gambler, or those who are underage, or using media primarily
targeted on teenagers.
"Play for free" games on the sites will be linked to the same age
restriction, responsible gaming and player protection information as the
"real money" sections.
eCOGRA has taken the position that players must be of legal gambling age
in their home jurisdictions, but has in any case set an absolute minimum of
18 years.
CEO Andrew Beveridge says that the new initiative is one of the most
comprehensive and widespread responsible gambling efforts yet seen in the
online gaming industry.
"We're very serious about this, and have the full backing of our seal
casinos. Knowingly allowing or enticing under-age or problem gamblers to play
is morally wrong, and once the regulations have been implemented the
independent accounting firms on our Audit Panel will be paying particular
attention to the consistent application of these rules by seal casinos," he
said.