UKGC details responses to testing strategy consolation

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published the feedback it received from a consultation over proposed changes to its testing strategy for remote gambling and software technical standards.

Launched in December, the UK’s regulatory body sought the opinions of licensed operators, test houses and other parties with an interest in the testing of remote gambling.

The results of the study show respondents desire a more simplified approach to defining major and minor updates to games and software, so licensed operators, test houses and consumers understand which products require external testing prior to release.

Revision to the testing strategy will also include greater scope for minor updates, which do not affect game fairness, to be tested in-house, and a more streamlined approach to testing of multiple updates.

The UKGC will also offer further guidance in relation to the roll-out of existing games onto new channels, as well as advice on effective return to player monitoring to ensure variations in payments to consumers can quickly be identified and resolved.

In addition, the UKGC will establish an independent annual audit requirement to provide assurance that operators are correctly identifying and managing game updates.

In a statement, the UKGC said: “The complexity of the online gambling market and growth in our regulatory sphere have reinforced the need to ensure that the standards set out in the testing strategy remain clear, transparent and promote an efficient and effective approach to regulation.

“It is important that operators have in place sufficient controls to protect consumers from faulty games and, where possible, offer clear and detailed explanations of game performance.”

The UKGC intends to publish its revised strategy before the end of May.

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