In the United Kingdom, the Gambling Commission regulator has released a statement cautioning locally-licensed online gaming operators to make sure they are abreast of new age and identity verification rules that are due to come into force from tomorrow.

LCCP changes:

The regulator used an official Friday press release to declare that the changes to its license conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) come after ‘an open consultation’ and have been designed ‘to ensure operators verify customers’ age and identity details quickly and robustly.’

Age authentication:

The Gambling Commission detailed that the updates to its LCCP, which follow the publication of the findings of an investigation the regulator conducted with the Competition and Markets Authority into suspected breaches of consumer protection law, will now require licensed iGaming operators to have verified that customers are at least 18 years of age before allowing them to deposit funds into an account, access free-play games or gamble using their own cash or any bonus funds.

Identity verification:

The press release from the Gambling Commission declared that United Kingdom-licensed ‘remote betting and gaming operators and some remote lotteries’ will now moreover be obliged to verify the name, date of birth and address of all customers before allowing them to gamble and ‘take reasonable steps’ to ensure that all of this information remains accurate.

According to the statement from the UKGC…

“All affected operators are expected to comply with the new LCCP. This means that from May 7, if an operator has not yet verified the name, address and date of birth of any customer, they will need to have completed verification before allowing that customer to gamble. Operators will therefore need to prevent any unverified customer from gambling until they have gone through the verification process.”

Documentation details:

The Commission also advised licensed iGaming operators that they will now be expected to inform customers before allowing them to deposit funds about what types of identity documentation may be required and how and in what circumstances these should be supplied. It stated that such firms are to furthermore be expected to ‘ask for any additional verification information promptly’ and refrain from confiscating customer funds on the basis that the required evidence has not been forthcoming before tomorrow.

In another statement from the UKGC…

“Last year the Competitions and Markets Authority’s action in the remote sector established that consumers are legally entitled to money that they have deposited in their account, to winnings made with money they have deposited and gambled and winnings made from a bonus where the relevant conditions have been met subject to anti-money laundering or other regulatory requirements.”