BGC calls on search giants to update gambling blacklist
UK trade body urges Google to take action after search for self-exclusion register returns black market results
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has called on search giants to update their gambling blacklists after online search results for UK self-exclusion register GamStop displayed black market options.
A tweet posted yesterday by GamStop-registered user @GamblingInsight highlighted how a Google search for ‘gamstop uk’ returned three affiliate adverts for offshore casinos.
Very concerning: Searched for Gamstop as need to contact them. Am met with the top x3 search hits for sites not signed up to this important tool. Thoughts? @gondorffhenry @GamRegGB @carolynharris24 pic.twitter.com/xeEhvWoSyg
— Gambling Insight (@GamblingInsight) January 2, 2020
The sponsored results showed adverts for the ‘best sites not on GamStop’, which would potentially allow self-excluded gamblers to access casino and betting websites not licensed in the UK.
BGC chairman Brigid Simmonds pointed out that operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and their affiliate partners are banned from advertising with words that seek help.
The trade body is seeking talks with Google to update its universal gambling policies by broadening its blacklist to ensure such adverts are not visible to UK consumers in future.
Simmonds added: “Any non-UK licensed operator or affiliate that is linking adverts to search terms, such as GamStop, must be stopped.
“We will raise this with the relevant bodies and have already asked the search firms to strengthen keyword prohibitions for advertising purposes.”
Chris Harrison, industry head of financial trading and egaming at Google, suggested in a tweet that the publisher is about to launch a refreshed global gambling blacklist.