MGA Player Protection Directive Schedule 1

The MGA has just announced an update to the Player Protection Directive 2018 that is due to come into effect on the 12th of January 2023.

To help operators assess what's changed I've quickly summarised the alterations below. Please note, I'm very short on time today, so this may not be perfect. Your own teams should still undertake a review.

Any MGA licensee should be aware that ThePOGG.com can provide ADR services to MGA licensees free of charge. We are the only ADR to offer this service free to operators, so contact me if your team would like to reduce their costs. [Our ADR functions under the name Nohadon Ltd on the EU ODR register]

The Biggest Change

In my opinion the most important change that this update makes is that self-exclusions now appear to apply across the license by default rather than request (pg 8 11 (4) b). This reverses the previous position where self-exclusions only applied to the url they were requested at unless the player explicitly requested that the exclusion carries over to other properties on the license.

I'm seeking clarification from the MGA to confirm this, but if I'm correct I'd consider this a huge positive step for the MGA. Players naturally expect that once they've told a company they have a gambling problem, that the company is going to prevent them from accessing gambling.

I hope you all find the below useful!

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Pg1 - Added the last paragraph defining Illicit Substances.

Pg2 - Added third paragraph from the top defining Organisations that aid persons with problem gambling issues.

Pg2 - Removed paragraph defining Unified Self-Barring Database

Pg 3 – Added article 5 (1) (a) (iii) – requirement to sign-post responsible gambling tools before the player’s first deposit

Pg5 – 6 (3) – Clarifies the requirement for players to be notified of any changes to terms and conditions before play is allowed to continue.

Pg6 – 7 (1) (a) – expands on the space exemptions for the display of game rule for mobile devices.

Pg8 – 11 (4) (b) – This is VERY important – self-exclusion will now have to apply across the license. This removes the requirement for players to ask for SEs to extend across the license.

Pg 9 – 11 (6) (b) – Expands on the requirements to discuss lifting any SE with a player before actioning any lift request.

Pg 9 – 11 (7)?- Same changes as 11 (6) (b) but applying to reducing a SE period rather than lifting.

Pg 10 - 12 (1) – Strengthens the requirements for licensees to prevent unregistered players, who contact requesting not to be allowed to play, from accessing gaming services in future.

Pg 11 – 13A – Adds definition that SE players cannot be restricted from withdrawing balances and encourages automatically doing this.

Pg 11 – 13B – Free play games have to be identical to their real play counterparts. NOTE – this means that the RTPs must be the same!!

Pg 11 – 13C – Requirement to make clear the real money value of any in game digital currency. This could have significant implications to any ‘sweepstakes’ model operators.

Pg 13 17A (1) – expands and strengthens the factors that operators must take into account during RG assessments.

Pg 16 22 (1) – Drops the minimum average RTP from 92% to 85% (if I remember correctly this was applied about 18 months ago).

Pg 18 26A – Clarifies that illegal drugs cannot be displayed in games.

Pg 23 – Removes the option for licensees to direct player complaints to the MGA. This conversion to ADRs is complete.

Pg 23 40 – Details the important dates for the implementation of the standards.