Flutter UK & Ireland, part of Flutter Entertainment, has announced new measures to protect younger customers. Among other things, this includes the introduction of a £500 per month net deposit limit for all customers under the age of 25 years and this safety policy will go into effect automatically for all customers in that target group.
The brands concerned by these changes include Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Betting & Gaming in the UK and in Ireland. Not specifically mentioned in the press release from September 6, 2021, has been global online poker market leader PokerStars. In a nutshell, the new policy will prevent customers in this age group from spending beyond that limit by default.
Conor Grant, CEO of Flutter UK&I, commented: “We are continuously looking at ways we can enhance protections for our customers, particularly those who are young or may be vulnerable. People under the age of 25 are likely to be experiencing a number of significant life changes, such as gaining independence for the first time and learning how to manage their finances.”
The changes come amid more strict government guidelines for the gambling industry in the UK during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Brands in the gaming industry have been advised to enforce stricter measures and affordability checks throughout the last two years. This announcement by Flutter UK & Ireland goes one step further than the industry standard as the operator has clearly identified younger customers among the most vulnerable.
“We want anyone who decides to gamble when they come of age to get in the habit of setting sensible spending limits and this measure is the latest we are introducing to help make this happen,” Grant added.
It is however possible for customers between 18 and 24 years old to apply for an alternative and higher limit. In order to get this approved, a detailed process has to be completed during it is demonstrated that the income to sustain an increased level of spend is at the patron’s disposal. This safety procedure is a vital step towards guaranteeing a safe environment for all customers no matter their age.
Flutter has established a dedicated Affordability Triple Step program, which is described as “a risk-based framework which uses real-time data to monitor player activity and behaviours” by the operator. Based on research data conducted by the company, the majority of customers are also in support of stricter measures for safer gambling in general.
The company is also using advertising technology to avoid targeting under 25s in ‘paid for’ social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. Among other requirements, gambling ads appearing on global search engines must clearly state that they are for those aged 18 and over.
According to Grant, the company also intends to cooperate with the relevant government agency in order to further improve the measures and guidelines in the industry based on the own collected data.
“We will be sharing our thinking and data with the Government and hope this new measure helps in terms of providing further ideas, evidence and potential solutions as it continues its review of the gambling legislation.”
The changes to the net deposit limit will go into effect immediately and further enhance the safer gambling measures across all Flutter UK & Ireland brands.
