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It wasn’t that long ago that the UK Gambling Commission announced that it would be making changes to the way the online casino and betting industry in the country operated. Just six months on, the UK’s national gambling commission has decided to make further changes and adjustments to the regulations, although they are likely to have both a positive and negative effect on the industry.

Verification Before Gameplay

One of the first changes to the way that gambling in the United Kingdom works is the introduction of a pre-verification process. To date, the KYC (Know Your Customer) process has merely required players to verify their identity before withdrawals are processed at the site. The new system fundamentally shifts when this is done.

Now, players at UK casino sites are required to verify their identity before they can deposit and wager at a casino. On the one hand, this is positive news as it will put an end to casinos willingly accepting deposits but not paying out. On the other, it is terrible news. Players are unlikely to want to wait for a lengthy period to have their ID verified. Bigger casinos may be able to do this around the clock, but it is unlikely that the same will be true for smaller sites, leading to long waiting times before a deposit can even be made.

More Banking Problems

Aside from the KYC process, UK online casinos are also set to see changes in the banking sector. The UKGC is set to undergo research and investigate the current banking services offered by UK sites. Players will already have noted that Skrill and Neteller are gradually falling away from popular UK domains in favour of more transparent options such as PayPal. There is also talk of new restrictions being placed on credit card deposits, whereby players will be unable to deposit at casinos using credit, in a bid to cut down the number of problem gamblers.

At the same time, the “pending” period at casinos is also set for the chop. The UKGC is of the mind that this needless period encourages gamblers to cancel withdrawals and wager more money, to the casino’s benefit. Moreover, casinos often claim the pending period is necessary to verify players’ identities and confirm transactions. As the KYC process is shifted to sign-up, there will be no need for such pending periods. This is one of the positives to come out of the new regulations. 

Say Bye to Free Playable Demos

One of the troublesome aspects of the new rules from the UK Gambling Commission is the lack of free play games without signing up. The commission feels as though offering free games without registering encourages underage gamblers, so from this summer onwards, only registered members of a casino will be able to play free slot demos. It is unclear what this means for casino review sites such as Tunf. Although, for the time being, such review sites with vast free playable demo libraries are likely to become havens for those who love genuinely free slot games.

The Greenock Telegraph encourages readers to gamble responsibly. For advice and information, please visit the BeGambleAware website here for free, confidential help.