Legislation Changes to Reinforce Age Verification Rules

On 7th May, new legislation came into effect in the UK with the aim of cracking down on underage gambling, as well as those gambling with false details.

Until now, gambling operators had 72 hours to verify the age and identity of new players signing up to the site. This meant that players could often gamble on the site for three days before having their account closed for failing to verify their details. They could play with a free registration bonus or make a deposit and play with their own money, all without their details being verified for 72 hours. Many sites also offered free demo versions of slots which players could access, sometimes without even registering to the site.

Sites would often do basic checks within the first 72 hours, and then implement their full checks when players went to withdraw. Allowing players to gamble and then slapping them with verification checks as they tried to take their winnings left some claiming they were ‘trapped’ and blocked from taking their cash when they couldn’t provide what the sites requested in time.

The new regulations aim to prevent this from occurring, as well as stopping underage players, identity fraudsters, and self-excluded players from being able to gamble at all. Sites must now verify a player’s name, address, and date of birth upon registration, before allowing them to access games, receive free bonus, or make a deposit. They must then ask for additional verification promptly, not waiting until the player requests a withdrawal.

Once verified, players can access all their usual favourite site features, including games, bonuses, and deposit offers. If you’re looking for a warm welcome once you pass verification, have a look at these sites which offer a no-deposit bonus!