The online gambling industry has no official code of conduct and no set of regulations that all operators must follow. A positive step forward in the matter was made at the industry's EiG conference in Barcelona when GameCare, eCOGRA and the Remote Gambling Association introduced a new global responsible gambling code of conduct for the industry. Although the code is not an official set of rules, it can be used as general guidelines for online gambling firms everywhere. The code addresses a small number of standards that are considered as the minimum required for a responsible industry.
The new global code deals with underage gambling, player protection measures, customer communication, advertising and promotions, as well as with staff training. eCOGRA is already known for its wonderful work self-regulation the industry and the new code seems like a great way to introduce the concept for responsible gambling to the entire global online casino industry. Although many of the jurisdictions already enforce rules similar to the ones listed as part of the code, Game Care, eCOGRA and the RGA are hoping that the code will be adopted as the uniform minimum standards and that jurisdictions will be able to built their own requirements based on the code.
With the industry expanding into new markets such as Asia and the Pacific, the need for a global code of conduct is growing. Different countries feature different legislation and one cannot tell what kinds of actions are considered as responsible and which are not. Setting the standard for the industry everywhere means that all online casino operation must follow the same rules and offer the same level of security for players. This will benefit the community in general and it will also make things easier for online casino players.
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