NATIONAL COUNCIL ON PROBLEM GAMBLING INTERNET RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING STANDARDS

Gambling has benefits but also has well documented negative consequences. Internet gambling is no exception. It is clear that some who gamble online will develop problems and that these problems are serious. The most ethical and cost-effective response to gambling addiction issues raised by internet gambling is a comprehensive public health strategy that includes prevention, education, treatment, enforcement and research services. Responsible gaming standards are an important aspect of this approach. The National Council on Problem Gambling has developed these standards to help guide discussions among all stakeholders on internet gambling, including operators, regulators, advocates and the public. NCPG reviewed current internet responsible gaming codes and regulations from around the world (see Appendix A) to guide the development of this standard. The final recommendations in this document flow from our 40 years of experience in problem gambling issues, existing international codes (in particular the Responsible Gambling Council’s draft internet gambling standards), empirical evidence and feedback from experts in the field including operators, regulators, researchers, clinicians an