Regulatory body Tackles Young Online Gamblers

The regulatory body, eCommerce and Online Gaming, Regulation and Assurance (ECOGRA) have launched a new campaign to deal with the growing problem of children and problem gambling in online casinos. The organisation, which regulates over fifty Internet casinos and gambling sites, will be working with these sites to implement new regulations to deal with illegal betting by minors. The new rules are being applied in addition to recent training designed to combat the problem and ID verification will be employed. All participating websites will be including a Responsible Gaming section, which will offer warnings and advice for underage and problem gamblers. The measures will include self exclusion, limiting mechanisms and staff will be monitoring activities to spot potential gambling addicts. The section also links to support websites for those with gambling problems. The new rules will also deter sites from marketing to potential younger or problem gamblers and will require players to be of legal gambling age within their own country or state. Andrew Beveridge, CEO at ECOGRA explained, “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.