Ipsos, in partnership with GambleAware, conducted a survey of 4,170 individuals aged 18 to 75 to gather public opinion on affordability checks in compliance with legal regulations. These checks are one of the proposed measures outlined in the government’s white paper from April of the previous year.
The proposed affordability checks would require operators to assess players who lose £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 over a 90-day period. Operators would also be mandated to conduct passive checks on players with a net loss exceeding £125 per month or £500 per year.
For more information on the contents of the white paper released in 2023, make sure to read our special report.
Debate within the industry has ensued regarding the effectiveness and necessity of these proposed checks. GambleAware has expressed its support for the checks and has released research indicating public backing for the measures.
61% of respondents in the survey expressed support for “light touch” financial vulnerability checks, while 57% endorsed “enhanced” checks for identifying high-risk individuals. Individuals facing problem gambling exhibited stronger support for these checks, with 58% backing enhanced checks and 54% endorsing light touch checks.
The study also highlighted concerns surrounding privacy and efficacy of the proposed checks, as well as uncertainties regarding the appropriate loss thresholds to trigger the checks.
Discussions and debates regarding the implementation of affordability checks in the gambling industry are ongoing.
