Thinking of removing site entirely from UK

[Alchemist]

Hello everyone!

Since the UKGC happened, it gets worst and worst. With this in mind we are thinking to remove our site from UK or redirect to a page where "UK visitors are not allowed" is shown.

We would like to see your suggestions on this one, especially from older affiliates working before UKGC was found.

Do you think a website should change every month or so as per UKGC requests?
Also the Safer Gambling week? Was this a joke that all affiliates HAVE to participate? A 'week' or a 'day' is usually something we don't have to do, just participate if we like right?

Hope to have some good answers here and thanks!

 

[AussieDave]

Almost everything I've seen a Gov., Dept., having a hand in, and or where University boffins (intellectuals with no actual real life, hands on, experience in their field) are used as consultants by said Government(s), a large % of these matters have gone pear shaped. Why? Because red-tape and having a million and one rules, simply doesn't work in some instances.

It's akin in trying to force a square-peg into a round hole.

I'm sure most know of Sherlock from the GPWA... He wrote about this not that long ago. I feel his post, answers all your questions. He speaking about the UKGC.

quote
https://www.gpwa.org/forum/final-nail-coffin-254966.html#post942388

After they will fail, they will not go down the drain. They are a state institution. As they will keep destroying this industry, they will just get more sources from state budget, to do even more nonsensical steps. Same story as any other post-capitalistic bureaucracy. Either way the few billions from tax payers sent to some UKGC retards instead of unemployment benefits are irrelevant.

Next steps will be hard-blocking of all websites. Then they will try to block apps as well. This will push the energy of consumers not just to crypto, but also to deepweb.

The interesting times are ahead again. We should not discuss the already long dead UK market. Why we keep beating the dead horse. Business is always about looking forward as far as we can - and being horrified when inevitable happens is looking backwards.end...quote

 

[danniee]

Gambling addiction is a serious thing for sure and has ruined many lives, but imo over regulation is not the answer. What is more worrying though, is how people's freedom on the web is getting increasingly restricted, not to mention the freedom to spend their money however they want. How exactly is the UK better than China really? It's getting normalized this way. We're totally desensitized about it at this point. What's next? Ban porn, ban alcohol, ban shopping, ban candy, ban soda, assign a caretaker for every citizen to keep them in check.

Since far from everyone is addicted to gambling, this is overkill. Gambling addiction needs to be dealt with on a personal level. People with issues need to deal with whatever they are going through. It's shit to be restricting things for everyone because others have issues in their lives. That's not the way to do it. We have this culture of putting blame on everything and anything other than ourselves. No one is taking any personal responsibility.

As for the UK market, it's RIP. It's not like the morons at the UKGC are going to be like - oh shoot, isn't this getting a bit ridiculous, let's lift some restrictions. No, it's just going to get worse and worse because all those morons do is sit by their meeting table every day brainstorming new "ideas". That's what their whole existence is based on.

Affiliates just have to accept that the UK is a crappy market now and look to new markets. There are plenty of them - South America, South Africa, India, the US, etc, etc. We don't need the UK. I'm actually just waiting for all operators to abandon it altogether (or for a total ban) so we can move on and be done with this headache

 

[KasinoKing]

I agree with danniee - the UK market is dead for relatively small-time affiliates like us.

But I don't blame regulation - us Brits are still big gamblers IMO, despite all the bullshit.
I think it's because of the huge affiliate monster companies and the big operators themselves monopolizing the top results on search engines and TV advertising. Us mere mortals can't compete with that

KK

 

[Alchemist]

Thanks for your useful answers here.

@AussieDave I'm familiar with this post, but thank you for mention it.
@danniee I couldn't agree more. UKGC sucks big time.

UK market is dead for everyone BUT i would like to still promote casinos with this licence outside the UK.
Since visitors from this country are able to see my site, i try to find a way to block them.
With this in mind i should exclude UK visitors which is a bit tricky and usually by blocking IP, this may lead to unwanted blocking for other countries as well.

Any ideas here?

 

[Alchemist]

@KasinoKing regulations are not bad if they make sense.

I think UKGC lost the point and i never thought it was found to regulate anyway.
Taxes is what matters here, at least this is what i believe. And fines of course.

 

[danniee]

I agree with danniee - the UK market is dead for relatively small-time affiliates like us.

But I don't blame regulation - us Brits are still big gamblers IMO, despite all the bullshit.
I think it's because of the huge affiliate monster companies and the big operators themselves monopolizing the top results on search engines and TV advertising. Us mere mortals can't compete with that

KK

I suspect casino streaming also plays a big part in what's happening now. It's such an aggressive form of marketing. It's far too intrusive. Despite all the regulations enforced, people can still live stream gambling on platforms that is predominantly used by kids and young adults. Unbelievable. Game providers who encourage this crap are shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[AussieDave]

Game providers who encourage this crap are shooting themselves in the foot.

lol... the industry has been shooting itself in the proverbial foot, since day one (1).

• Selling, trading and or exchanging player and affiliate data without peoples permission;
• Spamming on a GRAND scales;
• Robbing and scamming players;
• In some instances committing fraud;
• Rigging games, and use of pirated software.

List of dodgy acts goes on and on... The industry could have been self regulating BUT chose not to be. Hence, we're here at this point because of all this crap, which, and reiterating, has been going on since day one (1).

 

[NDG]

Keep strictly regulating the industry, and watch players go offshore and play casino games freely with
Bitcoin. It is not going to be the end of the UK market. It will just be the end of the regulated UK market.

 

[Alchemist]

@NDG i agree.

Gambling will be banned eventually in UK or operators will leave anyway.

But how a website with casinos that accepting UK players can proceed?
Not allowing visitors from UK or removing these operators right?
Is there another option?

 

[Benzbuggie]

Gambling addiction is a serious thing for sure and has ruined many lives, but imo over regulation is not the answer. What is more worrying though, is how people's freedom on the web is getting increasingly restricted, not to mention the freedom to spend their money however they want. How exactly is the UK better than China really? It's getting normalized this way. We're totally desensitized about it at this point. What's next? Ban porn, ban alcohol, ban shopping, ban candy, ban soda, assign a caretaker for every citizen to keep them in check.

Since far from everyone is addicted to gambling, this is overkill. Gambling addiction needs to be dealt with on a personal level. People with issues need to deal with whatever they are going through. It's shit to be restricting things for everyone because others have issues in their lives. That's not the way to do it. We have this culture of putting blame on everything and anything other than ourselves. No one is taking any personal responsibility.

As for the UK market, it's RIP. It's not like the morons at the UKGC are going to be like - oh shoot, isn't this getting a bit ridiculous, let's lift some restrictions. No, it's just going to get worse and worse because all those morons do is sit by their meeting table every day brainstorming new "ideas". That's what their whole existence is based on.

Affiliates just have to accept that the UK is a crappy market now and look to new markets. There are plenty of them - South America, South Africa, India, the US, etc, etc. We don't need the UK. I'm actually just waiting for all operators to abandon it altogether (or for a total ban) so we can move on and be done with this headache

completely agree. I do know that there are a lot of shady sites that wont honor self exclusions. That needs to stop, but for all of the people that have control and wish to gamble, why can't they? I have always been a person that does what I want regardless of the rules. I base my decisions on a moral ground. If i want to gamble and all gambling is illegal, I would go to a deep web gambling site. Unfortunately, this is where you start dealing with shady businesses that cause more problems to people than casinos that have customers with gambling problems.

 

[nwalker]

@NDG i agree.

Gambling will be banned eventually in UK or operators will leave anyway.

But how a website with casinos that accepting UK players can proceed?
Not allowing visitors from UK or removing these operators right?
Is there another option?

yes, if you have UK traffic you can sell it to someone that still takes it. Just geo-target the visitor to another affiliate site offering similar content - I'm sure there are plently of affiliates who'd pay for that traffic.

 

[Alchemist]

Never thought of that. Thank's for this idea!

 

[baldidiot]

But how a website with casinos that accepting UK players can proceed?
Not allowing visitors from UK or removing these operators right?
Is there another option?

For some this would be OK but there are a few UK licensed brands who would say you still need to abide by UK rules even though you're blocking UK IPs - it sounds daft but I guess their reasoning is that geotargeting isn't 100% and it's just not worth the potential massive fines or the added policing of who is/isn't blocking the UK which could significantly add to their compliance check workload.

I would check with the brands you want to promote first to see if they'd be happy with it.

 

[Alchemist]

@baldidiot thank's for your reply. Yes, i should check with them first and then if they don't agree i could remove them.