UKGC offers public guidance on ID rules, rights and responsibilities

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reminded the general public of the safer gambling requirements that operators must adhere to when customers sign-up and register with online gambling platforms. 

Licensed UK operators must ensure that all customers are ID varied, certifying that a customer is old enough to gamble and whether they have ever participated in self-exclusion from gambling services. 

The UKGC underlined that operators must cross-reference customer IDs with relevant databases to verify their identity and undertake due diligence on potential risks.  

The Commission stated that there will be situations when customers are required to provide further verification documents such as passports, driving licences and household utility bills to ensure that their identity and relevant information is processed by the operator.

UK operators must check that customers are old enough to gamble before making deposits or accessing any free-to-play content.

An operator must also ensure that a customer is notified of self-exclusion functions and procedures operated by the company.

Protecting at-risk customers, the UKGC reminded the public that operators may carry out further checks to ensure that self-excluded players are not re-registering under a different identity. 

The UKGC further emphasised operator ID responsibilities with regards to ensuring that funds are not related to criminal activities.

UK operators must, therefore, be able to verify separate accounts that are held by one customer, in which it is up to the company to decide whether they allow the customer to have more than one account.

If an operator does allow for multiple accounts, it may ask customers for further information to help it monitor their separate account activities.

Operators may seek information to safeguard their offers and incentives, which will often be limited to one use per customer. Licensees will also be allowed to freeze accounts whilst checking customer ID verifications, in which there is no time limit imposed.

When withdrawing funds, operators cannot demand that a customer provides additional information as a ‘condition to process the transaction’. 

Nevertheless, an operator can ask the customer to provide information upon withdrawal if they are required to fulfil a legal obligation.

“We tell the gambling companies that they must know their customers are old enough to gamble and confirm their identity,” the UKGC stated.  

“We do not say what sorts of information they should ask for. If you are not happy about the information you have been asked to give, you must contact the company directly.”