A major concern in both online and land-based gambling markers is the issue of underage gambling. Studies have shown that being exposed to gambling from an early age can lead young people to developing unhealthy gambling habits later on in life. As such, many gaming operators are taking preventative measures to stop young people from being exposed to gambling activities.
William Hill is the latest gaming provider to take such measures. This week, the company announced that it has launched an underage screening tool that will stop young people from interacting with the company on Twitter. According to EGRMagazine, William Hill is the first operator to introduce this type of screening, which will be used for all areas of the business, including Australia, America and Spain.
“Age verification, disclosure, and consumer protection is paramount across our entire business,” says Andrea Macqueen, Head of Regulatory at William Hill. “Our age verification processes are robust, and now Twitter’s age screening tool will help to ensure we are engaging with age appropriate audiences across social media too”.
Social media is one of the most popular marketing platforms for online gaming operators, as they can reach out to their target market in a personal way. However, companies have very little control over who can follow them on networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, running the risk of letting young people become exposed to marketing that is meant for adults only.
The new tool will stop young people from being able to see marketing material for betting and casino operators, and this will stop them from being exposed to gambling in the online world. We’re not entirely sure how effective this tactic will be but it certainly is a step in the right direction.
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