Flutter UK & IE CEO: “We will not wait for regulation” to raise standards

In a blog post today (13 December), Grant outlined the operator’s progress in increasing customer safeguards, following the UK Gambling Act review’s launch in December 2020.

He said the operator welcomed the review, and had not been “idly tinkering round the edges in the hope that the status quo can be maintained”.

“We have been looking at meaningful ways we can enhance customer protections – not just because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is vital for the sustainability of our industry,” he explained.

This was evidenced through its “Affordability Triple Step” system, which aims to take a risk-based approach informed by individual customers’ needs and circumstances.

The first step of this system begins at customer registration, where spend limits are allocated to each customer, while the second step involves continued monitoring through Flutter’s safer gambling controls. If these fail to flag a person experience gambling harm, the final step is implemented- a backstop that prevents losses from growing.

“We know that blanket measures are blunt instruments that will fail to tackle the issue,” Grant explained. “Each customer’s circumstances are different, which is why we need to take a risk-based approach to safer gambling and affordability.”

In the last 12 months the company’s responsible gambling initiatives have also addressed young people, specifically those under the age of 25. Grant pointed out that this age group had a higher risk profile, resulting in measures that would “cut right to the heart of their potential vulnerability”.

This has resulted in Flutter implementing net deposit limits of £500 per month for customers aged 25 and below. This is to come into force early in 2022.

At the time, Flutter stated that its own research had helped to implement the scheme, revealing that 78% of 18-24-year-olds polled supported the restriction.

A number of safer gambling restrictions have already been implemented in Ireland, emphasised Grant, including a ban on credit card usage in retail and online gambling and a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertising pre-watershed.

“Again, we have been clear that we will not wait for regulation where there is clear evidence to act,” he said. “And as we continue to evolve for the benefit of our millions of customers, we remain committed to driving meaningful change across the industry.”