Responsible Affiliates in Gambling established to promote the socially responsible marketing of gambling products
A new trade association, Responsible Affiliates in Gambling (RAIG), has been launched. Its founding members recognise the role that affiliate marketing providers must play as part of wider industry initiatives in the UK to promote social responsibility and a safer gambling environment for consumers.
The association will initially comprise three major players in the UK gambling affiliate sector, respectively the Racing Post, Oddschecker and Better Collective. The purpose of the association is to promote social responsibility within the affiliate marketing sector to create a safer environment for online users, with the hope that the association will grow, and other like-minded companies will join in due course.
As a condition of membership, each member will be subject to an annual social responsibility audit which will be conducted by Gambling Integrity. This audit is designed to ensure compliance with a range of existing statutory and non-statutory regulation as well as any additional measures which might be adopted over time. These will include:
- The UK Code of non-broadcast Advertising and Direct and Promotional Marketing (the ‘CAP’ code)
- The UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (‘BCAP’ code)
- The Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising
- Any relevant guidance issued by regulators such as the Advertising Standards Authority; Gambling Commission; and Information Commissioners’ Office on affiliate marketing requirements.
RAIG is also committed to engaging proactively with politicians and other stakeholders in any consultations and discussions that are relevant to the responsible marketing of gambling products. The new trade association will also be giving early consideration to whether and how it might support relevant projects in the sphere of research, education and treatment as well as the options for improving the training for those working in the gambling affiliate sector. These projects will be decided upon in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Commenting on the launch of RAIG, its inaugural chairman, Clive Hawkswood, said:
“A broad group of affiliates have been discussing the need for a dedicated association for some time. Particular credit should go to the founding members of RAIG for making that a reality and, crucially, for deciding that it should focus exclusively on social responsibility and safer gambling. The new audit process will be a key driver to achieving compliance and progress in these crucial areas and raising the standards of the affiliate marketing sector as a whole.
However, the members are anxious to go beyond that and we look forward to engaging with other stakeholders, especially regulators, to explore what additional measures might be considered in the future.
Affiliate providers of marketing services are already subject to extensive regulation, but more can always be done in relation to consumer protection and RAIG will provide the forum for that.”
Sarah Ramanauskas, Senior Partner at Gambling Integrity said: “We are delighted to be the providers of audit services to RAIG and its members. The RAIG’s focus on raising standards, together with its objective of providing a safer environment for players, is an important and timely initiative.”
Read more about Responsible Affiliates in Gambling here: www.raig.org
About Responsible Affiliates in Gambling
Responsible Affiliates in Gambling (RAIG) is a trade association founded in 2019 by the three gambling affiliate players the Racing Post, Oddschecker and Better Collective. The purpose of the association is to foster wider initiatives in the UK affiliate marketing sector to promote social responsibility and create a safer gambling environment for consumers. As a condition of membership, each member will be subject to an annual social responsibility audit which will be conducted by an independent third party.
For further details please contact:
info@raig.org
RAIG members
Better Collective A/S
CEO: Jesper Søgaard
Toldbodgade 12, 1256 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Contact: press@bettercollective.com, +45 2991 9965
Oddschecker
Oddschecker is the UK’s number 1 odds comparison service, giving sports bettors direct access to the best prices and offers from all of the top bookmakers. Founded in 1999 Oddschecker is now headquartered in London and employs over 200 people
Racing Post
Established in 1986, the Racing Post is the UK and Ireland’s leading publisher of horse racing and sports betting content and data.
RAIG directors
Clive Hawkswood (Chairman): was most recently Chief Executive of the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) from August 2004 to January 2019. He was formerly head of the Betting & Racing Branch at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). Prior to that, he was at the Home Office, spending time in both the Gambling Section and the Horseracing Policy Team. He has been on the boards of GambleAware; GAMSTOP (The National Online Self Exclusion system); The Industry Group for Responsible Gambling; and the Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group.
He was also the author of the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising and various industry good practice guidance publications ranging from complaints handling.
Guy Harding: Head of Commercial at Oddschecker
Cian Nugent: Digital Director at the Racing Post
Karl Pugh: Head of Business Development at Better Collective
Gambling Integrity
Gambling Integrity, founded in 2013, works with gambling and lottery operators around the globe. Its services support regulatory compliance and best practice in player protection, social responsibility and crime prevention. Gambling Integrity is a Level 4 certification assessor for the World Lottery Association’s Responsible Gambling Framework. It is also the independent auditor for the National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP player protection standards for online gambling in the US.
For more information see: www.gamblingintegrity.com
