UKGC Identifies Key Issues in Identity Verification Failures

The UK Gambling Commission has released a new blog detailing why operators fail to conduct identity verifications that could lead to consumer harm and enforcement consequences. The regulator has flagged common issues and argued how they could be addressed.

Under License Condition 17, remote operators must verify a user’s name, address, and date of birth before that person can place any bet on the platform. The blog explained that operators are not allowed to request additional information for withdrawals, specifically that could have been requested earlier to verify the said player’s identity.

Over a quarter of complaints filed against operators have to do with operators requesting more information to 'verify' a player’s identity when this should have happened prior to any gambling activity being allowed. Some players, especially those who spend more money, were not matched against credit reference agency records.