Gambling can be fun and games, as long you’re following the rules of the official regulatory body in your country of residence. If not, you may find yourself in numerous financial and legal problems. If you are thinking about joining an online casino or bingo community, make sure that you are familiar with all the laws regarding gambling in your country, as well as the terms and conditions of your chosen online casino. Above all, know when to stop. Gambling addiction is a worldwide problem, especially in the UK, one of the biggest online gambling markets with fully regulated games of chance and skill.
UK Guide to Responsible Gaming
UK-based online and offline operators are the ones carrying the biggest burden of responsibility towards players and the community; in order to get their hands on the gambling license, they must meet the following requirements:
- Provide players with information about gambling harms and risks and keep their personal data safe
- Monitor gambling activities and identify potential problems and high-risk players, money laundering and financial frauds
- Provide a high-quality customer support system
- Protect vulnerable clients and prevent underage players from accessing gambling sites and facilities
- Provide “restriction software” for gamblers in the form of gaming timers/reminders that can limit the length of time spent playing games, as well as limit the amount of money a player can invest; introduce reality checks with weekly/monthly self-exclusion options
- Offer “deposit limits” and “bet limits” option.
- Strictly define the terms and conditions of bonuses, promotional schemes and loyalty programs
What Should Players do to Protect Themselves From Potential Dangers?
In the first place, players need to be aware of one important thing: online casinos are not banks, nor a way to earn money for life. Every person who enters an online or land-based gambling facility needs to keep in mind that gambling is, above all, a way to relax and entertain. Unfortunately, there are lots of people who take gambling too seriously, and due to that, can slip into major financial troubles, as well as problems with anxiety and aggression. Know your limits regarding money and time.
Secure Banking: One of the Most Important Tasks
As a part of the Responsible Gaming section, online and land-based casinos must provide secure ways of depositing and withdrawing for the clients, if they want to be a part of the UK gambling market. Luckily, for both operators and players, the UK market has plenty of options available. Let’s name a few:
Direct Bank Transfer
Pretty convenient and fast option. It’s available in almost all UK-friendly online casinos, and more often than not, moving money this way doesn’t come with a transaction fee. However, since it’s a direct transfer, be sure to give the correct information to your bank clerk. Sometimes, transferring money from the bank straight to your casino account may be done by phone; you need to double-check if you shared the correct information. This is one of the most private ways to replenish your account, as your bank information is not shared with third parties.
PaySafeCard
Practical and simple way; all you need to do is to hop to the nearest UK-located gas station, or a supermarket, take a prepaid PaySafeCard, and in exchange, give cash, of course. The players in the United Kingdom appreciate this payment method, due to high levels of privacy and security.
PayPal
Definitely a more complicated method, but worth the time. Players who opt for PayPal must be patient; opening a PayPal account, linking it to your bank card, and waiting to pass the casino’s verification procedure may take days. But, when the entire process is done, you are in for simple and safe transactions, with low fees, and cash-out times that don’t take longer than a few minutes. Withdrawals usually take a couple of days, however, more and more operators provide very fast PayPal payments – sometimes within minutes.
