Online opportunity could quickly turn to threat

The following comments by David Clifton feature in an article entitled “Online opportunity could quickly turn to threat, analysts warn” on page 4 of the April 2020 edition of iGamingTimes:

Whilst cancellation of sporting events has been a catastrophe for the betting sector, the opportunity to convert customers to virtual sports and casino games has been quickly exploited. Playtech’s reports of an online poker and bingo resurgence may be partly explained by customers of land-based gambling premises (all of which have been subject to enforced closure since 21 March) looking for an online alternative.

With the potential for many customers to be engaging with new online gambling experiences, the disrupted income flow for many people and the Gambling-Related Harm APPG’s call for a £50 daily gambling limit for all customers, it is vital that UK-licensed operators pay heed to the UKGC’s “Guidance in light of COVID-19 outbreak”.

It doesn’t need a complex SWOT analysis to appreciate that opportunity could quickly turn to threat, in the shape of regulatory enforcement action. New customers must be onboarded responsibly. Affordability checks and customer interactions have become even more important and should be refreshed regularly. A very careful eye also needs to be kept on the marketing techniques and practices of both operators and their affiliates to ensure that perceived opportunities arising from the coronavirus crisis are not exploited in a socially irresponsible manner.

That article can be downloaded below, together with a further double-page article – appearing on pages 2 & 3 in the of the April edition of iGamingTimes entitled “State interventions pose mixed blessings for gaming firms” – quoting certain of David’s above comments

Download article PDF: iGamingTimes Issue 187 April 2020