Nearly 3,000 underage gamblers blocked in 2023, Isle of Man GSC survey shows

Jenny Ortiz October 25, 2024

SiGMA news

Nearly 3,000 underage gamblers blocked in 2023, Isle of Man GSC survey shows

The latest Responsible Gambling survey from the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) revealed notable progress by operators in blocking underage gambling attempts. Covering the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023, the survey was distributed to 35 OGRA-licenced operators, with 33 respondents detailing their responsible gambling practices and their proactive interventions in line with GSC’s strict RG guidelines.

According to the survey, all operators use advanced registration controls to restrict users under 18. As a result, operators blocked 2,972 attempts by underage users in 2023. Notably, 79 percent of respondents reported zero underage gambling cases, underscoring the effectiveness of their systems in compliance with GSC standards.

Enhanced responsible gambling controls

The survey also found that operators are implementing various elective controls to foster responsible gambling, per the Online Gambling (Registration and Accounts) Regulations 2008. These measures allow users to set deposit, spending, and loss limits. In 2023, 67,907 users — 2.5 percent of the entire user base — opted to utilise these controls. The survey highlighted that 31 operators offer a deposit limit feature, and others provide additional spending and loss controls, giving players a safer and more controlled gambling experience.

Operators set flexible control levels, from a few pounds to substantial monthly limits, empowering users to manage their spending comfortably.

Self-exclusion options boost user protection

All participating operators offer self-exclusion (SE) options, allowing users to pause or permanently deactivate their accounts. Most also initiate SE measures if staff detect potential problem gambling behaviour. Self-exclusion terms range from short time-outs to lifetime bans, with operators ensuring clear, accessible information about these options.

Rising awareness and transparency in responsible gambling

Seventy-three percent of respondents received complaints related to responsible gambling policies, often centred around limits, SE requests, and affordability documentation. To enhance transparency, operators provided users with access to their transaction histories over 1.19 million times in 2023, reinforcing user awareness and control over their gambling activity.

GSC’s commitment to future responsible gambling policies

“The GSC will use the findings of the RG Survey to make necessary adjustments to the current responsible gambling policies and consider improvements on how requirements and related guidance are communicated to licensees and the public,” the Commission said.

The GSC aims to refine responsible gambling policies further, planning additional guidance for licensees by 2025. The Commission underscores the importance of collaborative industry efforts to maintain regulatory compliance and effective user communication, with a focus on evolving responsible gambling standards and user safety.

“GSC will identify opportunities to improve understanding of regulatory requirements by engaging with licensees, consumers, and others to clarify licensees’ responsibilities,” it added.