Industry Bodies Apply New Initiatives to the Safe Game Design Code

A group of industry trade bodies, the Betting and Gaming Council, (BGC), The British Amusement and Catering Trade (bacta), and the Bingo Association finalised a new Safer Gaming Design Code specifically for land-based gaming machines.

No Celebratory Wins

After further pressure placed on operators by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission in regard to safer game design features, the new initiative evaluates features found in land-based gaming machines including celebrating wins through visual or audio resources.

The new initiatives to the Safer Game Design Code means gaming machines will no longer celebrate wins with a fanfare, another step in the right direction in terms of protecting players from gambling-related harm.

Welcomes Change

The collective group of trade bodies welcomes change within the industry and has worked hard with operators and game designers to lessen the impact of gambling-related harm.

CEO at bacta John White said, “It is a significant achievement for the whole industry to agree on such a broad topic. Nevertheless, the challenge had to be met and we now have a Code that again demonstrates the industry’s commitment to socially responsible recreational gaming. It adds to a long list of industry initiatives that have reduced the problem gambling rates to the historically low level of 0.2% of the population.”

The Bingo Association CEO Miles Barton said, “The Bingo Association is pleased to support this code in partnership with bacta and the BGC demonstrating the ability of the land-based sector to come together when required to strengthen safer gambling protocols.”

During the pandemic industry bodies came together under the Chairmanship of Reflex Gaming’s Matt Ingram, to evaluate features incorporated on gaming machines after lengthy research, industry standards, and listening to views from people who had experienced gambling-related harm.