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The UK’s GamStop System: Model for Responsible Gambling in Hungary
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Gambling is a large and constantly growing industry. It goes hand in hand with increasing concerns regarding problem gambling. Players and bettors worldwide, including Hungary, call for advanced control and self-exclusion tools. The prevalence of problem gambling in Hungary has reached 1.9%, and 1.4% of players suffer from pathological gambling.
Luckily, there are more companies and services that care about players and help them take control of their gambling activities. One of them is the UK free service called GamStop. The total number of people registered with this successful model that promotes responsible gambling is over 400k. Let’s discover how implementing a similar system can benefit Hungarian gamblers!
Understanding GamStop and Its Impact in the UK
GamStop is a free online service that is used by players who want to exclude themselves from gambling on online platforms and apps that possess UKGC licenses. The available self-exclusion periods are six months, one year or five years.
The platform works only with gambling sites licensed in Great Britain. It means that there are still many available non GamStop online slots to play even if you are on GamStop. However, it allows you to self-exclude yourself on more than 120 platforms simultaneously. You can access the full list of these platforms on the GamStop official website You need to complete a short registration process on the site, provide your personal details, and confirm your identity to become a member.
GamStop sign-ups have increased by 9.5% in 2023, and 55% of all members have opted for the longest self-exclusion period of 5 years. This shows the importance of self-exclusion for people who struggle with gambling problems. It helped thousands of punters to prevent or minimize the negative effects of gambling as well as take control of their gambling activity if it was a problem before.
The Current State of Online Gambling in Hungary
Gambling is very popular in Hungary, with an online gambling market that is going to reach €514.80 million in 2024. The total number of players is going to reach 467.8K by 2028, and the penetration rate is predicted to be 4.2% in 2024.
The country has the Gambling Act that regulates gambling activity. In January 2023, the government made amendments to this legislation to implement more technical changes to facilitate the growth of the gaming market, improve its regulation, and add transparency. One of the points in this document states that a gambling operator should point out that using the functions of this platform may entail an increased risk of excessive gambling.
In November 2021, the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities introduced a responsible gambling decree that obliges gambling operators to provide information about risks and damages connected with gambling addiction. It also makes operators restrict vulnerable players and offer self-exclusion measures.
There’s space for improvement since gambling legislation must be made safer and more player-oriented. Not only should the industry be more accessible, but also self-exclusion systems and projects. They must use advanced data analytics tools and AI models to detect indicators of problem gambling and prevent serious outcomes.