Safer Gambling Week Requirements

[baldidiot]

Getting a lot of vague emails here about safer gambling week, for example:

We are sending you this email to inform you that all Betting and Gaming Council members require their affiliates to participate in the Safer Gambling Week campaign. This year's campaign is scheduled for the 19th - 25th November, and we would encourage you to include the Safer Gambling Week logo (with link to www.safergamblinguk.org) on your home page and/ or the Safer Gambling Week banner ad on your home page with a link to their website.

Does anyone know where we stand on this? The wording is always something like:

• we are asking our affiliates
• we would encourage you
• we would like to see

Is this something that can be ignored or is "we would encourage you" code for "you have to do it"?

Don't get me wrong I don't have issues with providing responsible gambling info, just object a little to jumping through pointless hoops as part of a box checking exercise.

And it's not like a banner for a week is going to do anything other than let us all pat themselves on the back for a bit...

What are other UK affs planning on doing?

[Mattbar]

Thanks for raising this, also interested to see how people are interpreting this.

The emails often state 'BGC require affiliates....' then follow that up with 'we encourage you...' that seems to send mixed messages.

Have to remember the BGC is an industry not a legislative body, the whole thing is about finding ways to pat themselves on the back without actually dealing with core issues.

[ocreditor]

It's a good question, in my opinion, the operators request it as it's "must" but in reality it's really depending the operator and how they approach it I believe, some will write you that you must do it (as far as they concern) while others will request or/ encourage you to publish it

[baldidiot]

Looks like almost everyone is ignoring it, including all the big boys. Would be interesting to know if anyone is contacted directly about it by the programs or if it does just get swept under the rug as with previous years.

We chucked a token banner on a couple of sites to show we were making an effort just in case anyone does pipe up: doesn't it make you feel much safer!

[newcustomeroffer]

Looks like almost everyone is ignoring it, including all the big boys. Would be interesting to know if anyone is contacted directly about it by the programs or if it does just get swept under the rug as with previous years.

We chucked a token banner on a couple of sites to show we were making an effort just in case anyone does pipe up: doesn't it make you feel much safer!

Had a note from bet365, Paddy Power/Betfair and a couple of others although they're worded as suggestions and encouragement to do something as opposed to a requirement/directive.

Guess it's designed to be a reinforcement of the message essentially as I'm getting emails from bookies I hold accounts with about Safer Gambling Week, there's messages and pop-ups when I log into said betting accounts and the imagery is all over social media today too, so any affiliate/content sites that are focussed on gambling will have the same look and feel.

[baldidiot]

I'm also starting to wonder if it's down to the wording of the BCG with regards to the bookies and safe gambling week - if they said that members should "encourage their affiliates" then they just need to do a quick email and job done. Ie: they don't actually care if we do it or not.

That could also explain why the wording of a lot of the emails (from totally different brands) is very similar, maybe they've been given copy to send out.

I'm just guessing here btw, this isn't based on anything other than what I've observed.

[Mattbar]

We've also thrown up a few banners for this. I agree the BGC have said operators should 'encourage' affiliates but it is not mandated.

As usual with the BGC though they allow each program to interpret differently, which means you get a range of requests. Jumpman have said, for example, that it is an absolute requirement.

"This year all affiliates are required to take part in promoting safer gambling week.

If you haven't already, please add a hyperlinked version of the SGW logo to your websites. This logo will need to be displayed for the duration of the week in order to remain compliant. "