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lutter Entertainment’s Flutter UK & Ireland announced Monday the launch of a new policy which has been designed to enhance protections for young customers while encouraging sensible spending across its platforms.
The measure includes the introduction of a $692 (£500) per month net deposit limit for all customers under the age of 25. It will be automatically implemented across Paddy Power, Betfair, and Sky Betting & Gaming in the UK and Ireland.
As stated by the company “for the small number of customers who can demonstrate income to sustain an increased level of spend, they will need to go through a detailed process before an alternative limit is set”.
The deposit backstop is a part of Flutter’s Affordability Triple Step, a risk-based framework which uses real-time data to monitor player activity and behaviors. It includes the use of Adtech to avoid targeting people under 25 in “paid for” social media channels, using specific age markers on data models, developing bespoke thresholds based on age and introducing a requirement that gambling ads appearing on search engines must make it clear that they are for people over the age of 18.
The company recognizes that “young customers overall have a higher risk profile”, as “early adulthood is characterized by a range of significant life changes, such as moving away from the family home and gaining financial independence”.
In a poll carried out by Flutter, it was shown that 77% of gamblers of all ages support these measures for younger people as a support and protection policy. According to the company, support for additional measures amongst 18-24-year-olds polled at 78%.
In an official press release, CEO of Flutter UK&I, Conor Grant, spoke about this new policy and said: “We are continuously looking at ways we can enhance protections for our customers, particularly those who are young or may be vulnerable. People under the age of 25 are likely to be experiencing a number of significant life changes, such as gaining independence for the first time and learning how to manage their finances”.
“We want anyone who decides to gamble when they come of age to get in the habit of setting sensible spending limits and this measure is the latest we are introducing to help make this happen. We will be sharing our thinking and data with the Government and hope this new measure helps in terms of providing further ideas, evidence and potential solutions as it continues its review of the gambling legislation. The review provides a once in a generation opportunity to bring gambling rules into the digital age, and while we believe that the changes it will bring are critical, we won’t wait to implement ground-breaking policies that will make a difference for our customers”, he concluded.
