The New GamCare Safer Gambling Standard That Everyone is Talking About

A new award system has hit the gambling scene, awarding both online gambling sites as well as land-based businesses that exceeded the requirements put in place to protect its users or walk-in customers. The first-ever award of its kind was given to Genting UK and now people are wondering what this all really means?

What is the “GamCare Safer Gambling Standard” and what is GamCare?

GamCare

GamCare is a UK-based independent charity organization established in 1997. It was formed to support those who suffer from compulsive gambling and the “GamCare Safer Gambling Standard” is an independent quality standard assessment of the measures gambling businesses have put in place to protect their users from experiencing any harmful gambling-related issues.

The words “Standard” in “GamCare Safer Gambling Standard” are awarded at entry-level. There are three further Advanced Levels that give gambling sites and casino operators a very clear and defined so-called roadmap for the best ways to further improve their business safely.

“We’re rightly proud to have achieved this standard which highlights our commitment to creating a safer gambling environment and its importance to us at every level of the business. But now’s not the time for us to stand still on this matter,”  said Paul Willcock, President and Chief Operating Officer of Genting UK. He went on to describe Genting UK’s commitment to delivering against its long-term strategic aim of eliminating gambling-related harms:

“We must continually review our responsible gaming measures and ensure they remain amongst the most robust in the industry. The well-being of our customers is our highest priority and we want them to enjoy playing in a safe and responsible environment,” he concluded.

We are all very aware of the dangers of gambling with the most concerning being addiction. Whether it be an addiction to alcohol, sex, drugs, or in this case gambling. The bottom line is that the topic is being acknowledged and the gambling world is doing something about it. It’s an important topic that we want to explore and highlight for you today. Let’s take a deeper look at what’s being done to make gambling a safer place for all of us online and at related casino sites.

The GamCare Points System

The conditions on which businesses are judged consist of 10 intense assessment levels, with the business’s ability to create a safer gambling environment for their players, as the prime requisite on the list. Not only is it important for online gambling sites or casinos to prove their firm safety strategies, but GamCare also requires them to focus on how this can be achieved long term, in order to avoid any shortcuts.

The Award Levels are intricate, well planned, and achievable if the business is committed to proving that they are on board with safety requirements. There are 10 areas that the Standard covers, in them, are 58 separate criteria that build the whole foundation of the award system. For a business to receive an award they are judged on the level as to which they reach 15 of those criteria, with 3 being mandatory for the business to reach Advanced Level.

“All gambling businesses, whether accredited or not, are required as part of their licensing conditions to have safer gambling assurance processes in place. The Standard is there to give businesses confidence that their processes are moving in the right direction”

• Paul Carpenter, SGS (Safer Gambling Standard) Lead Consultant

The gambling industry as a whole is very complex in nature and there will always be better ways to improve the business aspect of it. According to recognized leaders in the field, this will not be possible without better safety measures put in place, and that is exactly what GamCare has set out to do. The gambling operators who work together with GamCare receive their GamCare certificate which brands them as gambling operators who support and encourage the protection of gamblers. GamCare also offers services to those who need them, although their main objective is the implementation of gambling policies focused on creating awareness about the risks involved in each casino and online gambling site.

On that note, we would like to congratulate Genting Casinos for receiving the standard at advanced level 3. They are the only land-based casino business to receive this highest achievable award second time in a row, proving their commitment and dedication to creating a safer gambling space for all.