RGC Tracks Shift to Mandatory Gambling Safeguards

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has identified a growing move toward mandatory player protection measures in regulated gambling markets, with regulators increasingly examining whether those measures produce measurable results.

The organisation published Evolving Expectations on July 27, 2026, as the first installment in its six-part Sector Signals series. The report examines developments in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and Victoria, Australia, identifying four areas where regulatory approaches are increasingly aligned: age-related requirements, financial restrictions, carded play and pre-commitment, and operator training.

Four Markets Adopt Stronger Requirements

In Britain, the Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 took effect on April 6, 2025. The legislation replaced a discretionary contribution model with an annual statutory levy paid to the Gambling Commission. The levy generated just under £120 million during its first year, with 50% allocated to treatment, 30% to prevention and 20% to research.

The same period saw statutory online slot stake limits. From April 9, 2025, the maximum stake stood at £5 per game cycle, while players aged 18 to 24 faced a £2 limit from May 21.

Norway uses its state monopoly to impose financial controls. Norsk Tipping limits monthly losses for its youngest customers to NOK 2,000, with limits increasing through NOK 3,000 and NOK 5,000 before reaching NOK 20,000 for players aged 25 and above. The middle limits began on February 1, 2025.

The operator’s surveys indicate one in five men aged 18 to 25 face a risk of gambling-related harm. Norway also places significant restrictions on bonuses and VIP programmes.

Sweden introduced an expanded prohibition on gambling funded through credit cards, personal loans, overdrafts or buy-now-pay-later services. The measure was originally scheduled for April 1, 2026, before parliament delayed implementation by one month. It took effect on May 1, 2026. Swedish requirements also expect employees involved in product development, marketing, game monitoring and customer service to identify and respond to gambling harm.

Victoria Tests Carded Play

Victoria has taken a different route through mandatory registration and pre-commitment. Its Gambling Legislation Amendment (Pre-commitment and Carded Play) Bill 2024 passed in May 2025 and requires electronic gaming machine players to use a registered card and establish loss and time limits before playing.

A trial began in September 2025 across all 43 venues with gaming machines in Monash, Greater Dandenong and Ballarat. Participants used a YourPlay card. The legislation followed a 2023 state study that found 29% of Victorians who played electronic gaming machines had experienced gambling-related harm.

Sarah McCarthy, RGC’s chief executive officer, said: “Behind every one of these regulatory changes is a recognition that voluntary approaches, on their own, may not always reach the players who need protection most. The shift toward mandatory safeguards reflects a growing understanding that the health of the player base and the sustainability of the industry are the same conversation, not competing ones.”

The RGC said regulators are increasingly measuring behavioural outcomes rather than simply checking whether protective tools exist. Mandatory or default settings are gaining preference over voluntary opt-in measures.

The organisation said the direction is becoming clearer while evidence on effectiveness remains under development. Five additional Sector Signals reports are scheduled through 2027.

Source:

"Responsible Gambling Council report tracks shift to mandatory player protection", europeangaming.eu, July 30, 2026