UK betting operators roll out new 'time out' features

UK betting operators are getting very serious about protecting problem gamblers from the dangers of overindulging in casino gaming. Under the banner of the newly formed Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), a newly formed trade group, the operators announced a new algorithm called the Anonymous Player Awareness System (APAS) that’s designed to, literally, stop problem gamblers in their tracks.
Though the BGC is, officially, only a few weeks old the technology behind the APAS algorithm has been in the works for more than two years. APAS works in real time and responds to cues that indicate problem gambling behaviors are at play on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). When the algorithm gets wind of these behaviors, it can stop the player cold by forcing them to take a break. As the name indicates, the algorithm works anonymously and is unable to report a specific player, even after he or she have been forced into time out.
In a statement reported on by Gaming Intelligence, BGC chair Brigid Simmonds expressed her enthusiasm for the new technology saying, “I am delighted to launch these new measures today as part of Responsible Gambling Week. The Betting and Gaming Council has as its mission statement raising standards and this technology will create an environment that promotes safer play.”
The new algorithm is the betting industry’s latest effort to stay ahead of a wave of anti-gambling regulations that have been eroding profits for months. It’s hoped that self-regulation and monitoring can help operators stay ahead of zealous lawmakers who seem dead set on shutting down the betting industry entirely.