Proposed changes to LCCP requirements for customer interaction and alternative dispute resolution, and call for evidence on gambling website blocking software

Overview

Consumers, gambling operators and members of the public are being invited to voice their opinion on proposed changes to Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) and to provide views on gambling blocking software.

LCCP consultation on Customer Interaction

We are consulting on changes to the LCCP social responsibility (SR) code provision 3.4.1 (Customer Interaction) and associated ordinary code provision 3.4.2.

These code provisions apply to all types of operating licence except non-remote lotteries, gaming machine technical, gambling software and host licences. A separate code provision applies to all lotteries, which is out of scope of this consultation.

This consultation will be of particular interest to gambling businesses, but responses are welcomed from all stakeholders, in particular consumers who may wish to bring their own experiences into this discussion.

LCCP consultation on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) - requiring licensees to only use providers that meet our additional standards

We have been looking closely at how complaints processes in the gambling industry are working for consumers. Part of that review focused on the provision of ADR.

All ADR providers must meet the requirements in government regulations. We decided to set out a framework of extra requirements for ADR providers in the gambling sector. The framework would include standards around customer service, decision making and supporting the gambling industry. Our aim was to make the role of an ADR provider clearer, improve consistency, and help to reassure consumers that a provider is independent of the gambling business. We would then review all approved providers against the additional standards in our new framework.

A call for evidence on gambling website blocking software

We would like to obtain views on whether we should extend the existing expectation (that operators should signpost blocking software to consumers) so that operators have to provide access to gambling blocking software free of charge to customers. We would also like views on how this could most effectively be delivered.

Why your views matter

We are conducting a formal consultation under Section 24 of the Gambling Act 2005 on proposed amendments to the LCCP requirement for gambling businesses to carry out customer interaction, as set out in our Business Plan 2018 - 19 and in our Online Review submitted to Government to support the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures.

The proposed changes are intended to raise industry standards and accelerate progress around customer interaction, in order to prevent harm to consumers.

We are also consulting on whether we should require gambling businesses to name only ADR providers who meet our additional standards, as well as the requirements of the ADR regulations. This would give an incentive to ADR providers to meet our additional standards, because those that did not could not be used by gambling businesses. It would also make sure that consumers receive a consistent service from any ADR provider in the gambling sector.