Behind The Numbers: UKGC Report Highlights Concerns About Account Restrictions

A cross-section of data was gathered earlier this year from a selection of major gambling operators, covering 14.9 million active customer accounts. It was found that 643,779 of those were restricted in some form, representing a rate of 4.31%.

There were several different methods of restriction, with the most common being stake reduction, which accounted for 62.2% of limited accounts. Other restrictions included account closure, which was the second most likely limit, with 2.2% of active accounts closed for commercial reasons.

Bet amounts were also reduced in many cases, with 22.4% of accounts being limited to between zero and 1% of the maximum stake, and more than a third being allowed stake amounts between 1% and 9%.

On top of this, it was found that 46.8% of accounts with restrictions placed upon them were in a net profit position, raising concerns about fairness for UK-based bettors.

The UKGC’s Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes, commented on these restrictions, remarking on the UKGC’s claim that they fall outside of its remit of regulations.

He said: “As stated in the Gambling White Paper, gambling operators are entitled to act in their commercial interests and manage liabilities. It is not within our regulatory remit to mandate how individual operators manage their commercial liabilities.”

There are growing concerns that such patterns will drive players towards an unsafe or illegal avenue of playing instead, with more and more unlicensed operators appearing on the market.

Rhodes directly acknowledged these issues, adding: “We do need to understand the role that commercial restrictions may be playing in pushing customers to illegal gambling operators, and driving customer behaviours which undermine wider controls designed to prevent crime, protect consumers and identify integrity threats.”

What does this mean for me?

Reviews are now being undertaken by this regulator regarding how communication is issued to players about restrictions. It’s something that needs to be taken seriously, as a shift towards unlicensed operators would raise several concerns, namely around responsible gambling.

A key area for improvement is around transparency on restrictions. Under current guidance, operators should inform customers about potential restrictions before they place bets, though realistically it is something which isn’t being communicated effectively.

Whilst these figures may not be surprising, for me in particular, they do point to a growing grey area in betting management. If UK players are setting up accounts in UKGC Casinos or sportsbooks, potential limitations and restrictions should be clearly stated before they make any payments.