Why UK operators need to consider Consent Manager

All operators licensed in the UK must be laser-focused on consent management this year.

The UK’s Gambling Commission has updated its social responsibility code, emphasising the importance of ensuring players electing to opt out of marketing materials have their wishes respected.?

This is particularly pertinent for those returning from periods of self-exclusion.

As of 1st May 2025, the new code comes into effect. Players who have opted out of receiving marketing material do not need to be shown their preferences when first logging in after that date. However, all users must have the option to update their preferences – including those who are currently opted out. For new players, the opportunity must be presented at the sign-up stage.

Licensees must also provide players with options to opt-in to direct marketing on a per-product and per-channel basis. These options must cover all products and channels provided by the licensee and must be set to opt-out by default.?

Respecting choices

Xtremepush has always been a big advocate of respecting player preferences. Our belief is that subscription and preference options should be as granular as possible for clients.?

Giving end users control over their communication preferences ensures they receive only the messages that matter most to them. Not only does this mean that those messages cut through the noise, but also that operators stay on the right side of regulations.

For full peace of mind when addressing the challenges the new code presents, Xtremepush has a tool within its product offering that addresses all of the challenges posed by the new code.?

Consent Manager allows operators to view, manage, and update users’ consent preferences across all channels and in real-time. It centralises all consent in the Single Customer View, whether it is for use in Xtremepush communications or to be made available through export to external tools.

Custom channels

One of the crucial aspects of Consent Manager is the ability to offer preferences by channel and by product. As well as email, SMS and push notifications, an operator can also create custom channels. In terms of preferences, each channel can have a number of set permission options for the customer.

All subscription preferences are listed against the customer and data can be imported via API or as a CSV upload, while that data can also be edited within the system. As well as keeping a fully up-to-date, real-time audit log of every customer’s preferences, operators can also use APIs to pull those preferences into first-party applications.

From within the Xtremepush platform, campaigns can be created that use those customer preferences as reference points. When sending out a campaign, the system ensures that at the point of sending only those customers who have a subscription to a relevant channel will receive that information. If a user has a subscription to a set of updates only on email and not SMS, for example, this ensures they will only receive that message through email.?

Consent Manager also allows operators to create custom segments that use customer preferences to create and then manage an audience. Changes to the popularity of any preference can be tracked over a period of time and as a campaign’s influence over preferences evolves.?

In terms of the interface presented to the end user, Consent Manager includes a preference centre widget. Customisable to match client branding and colour schemes, it allows end users to view and manage their preferences from within a simple, user-friendly interface.?

Future-proofed

The new Gambling Commission code means that operators must have a robust solution in place that allows for the right messages to always be delivered to the right channels. We have seen in the industry what can happen when a misplaced marketing message slips through a gap, both from a reputational and financial perspective and – most importantly – when it impacts a player who is self-excluded. Consent Manager is an effective, future-proofed tool that offers peace of mind against these concerns.??