West Virginia online casinos received no recognition for their effort. The recent 2022 report by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) revealed that West Virginia performed poorly in internet gambling rankings.
The US Online Responsible Gaming Regulations: An Evaluation Against National Council on Problem Gambling Standards report pointed out that the Mountain State, along with three other states, failed to meet the minimum responsibility standards for online gambling set by the NCPG.
The NCPG discovered that there are four states that do not mandate sufficient protection for online gamblers according to their regulations. These states, including West Virginia, also fell short of meeting the NCPG Internet Responsible Gambling Standards (IRGS) adequately.
- The states mentioned are Nevada, Delaware, and Michigan.
According to the NCPG, the remaining three states that provide online casinos do offer sufficient protection.
- Connecticut
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
“The IRGS was established by the NCPG in 2012 with the aim of providing recommendations to prevent problem gaming. The NCPG frequently revises the IRGS to keep up with the advancements in online gaming.”
IRGS establishes the benchmark for consumers, guaranteeing that regardless of the operator they select, they can trust that the platform offers the essential responsible gambling features to promote safe playing.
West Virginia online casinos report card
In the NCPG report, 59 indicators were examined. The report assessed various standards, which encompassed:
- Policy
- Staff training
- Informed decision-making
- Player assistance
- Self-exclusion
- Advertising and promotion
- Game and website features
- Research
- Payments
According to the NCPG report, West Virginia demonstrates a dedication to responsible gambling policy; however, it falls short in terms of strategy. The state does offer yearly staff training, which includes corporate training sessions.
The Mountain State prioritizes assisting players in making informed decisions by offering them safer gambling information and access to personal responsible gambling data. Additionally, the state has fulfilled all the necessary requirements outlined by the NCPG in terms of preventing underage gambling.
However, it fell short in terms of offering detailed information on the potential risks associated with gambling, identifying signs of a gambling problem, and establishing limits. Nonetheless, it does allow customers to set limits on financial transactions.
In addition to the above findings, the NCPG report highlighted the lack of information provided by West Virginia to players regarding the misconceptions surrounding the specific game. However, it is worth mentioning that West Virginia received favorable ratings in certain aspects.
- Verifying self-exclusion records during the registration process.
- Notifying gamers when they have reached the deposit thresholds for gaming.
- Enabling player timeouts
- Time/spend limits
How can West Virginia regulators improve online gambling safety measures?
In 2019, the West Virginia Interactive Wagering Act was successfully passed by the legislature of West Virginia. Following this, DraftKings WV made its online debut in the state the following year. The most recent addition to the lineup of gaming options in the Mountain State is Play’n Go.
The NCPG lacks the legal authority to enforce operators or states to comply with its IRGS standards. However, the organization emphasizes the importance of prioritizing public health funding in addressing problem gambling. SBC Americas suggests that legislators aim to be perceived positively by the public while implementing measures to alleviate the issue.
The NCPG expresses their desire for increased collaboration. According to a statement issued by the NCPG,
The NCPG suggests that all states currently involved in iGaming or considering its legalization should embrace the IRGS standards as a means of safeguarding consumers against the adverse effects of gambling.
It is yet to be determined if West Virginia will improve its situation. Regrettably, the state has received another negative assessment regarding problem gambling, marking the second time in less than a year. In April, WalletHub ranked West Virginia as the ninth most gambling-addicted state.
In 2021, the Problem Gambling Help Network of WV revealed that the majority of individuals who reported engaging in sports gambling did so through online platforms. Online sports betting emerged as the second most common form of gambling mentioned by helpline callers, as stated by the Network.
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