Entertainment
Great Britain’s 95% decline in VIP clients: Is this a headache for online casinos?
Thanks to a 2020 change in rules surrounding VIP experiences at online casinos in the UK, operators were faced with a new challenge. As tighter regulations were introduced by the UK Gambling Commission, extra pressure was put on operators for the running of their high-value customer schemes (HVCs).
VIP experiences have always been part and parcel of the casino experience, and with the world of gambling heavily shifting online since the turn of the century, the path it has taken has been full of twists and turns regarding the rules surrounding it. Legal online casinos such as those reviewed and ranked by https://legalcasino.uk/, a service which studies and compares UK gambling operators, have to adhere to the regulations as set out by the Gambling Commission to initially get an operating licence. They also face regular checks and audits to ensure that standards of game fairness, finances and Responsible Gambling are all being upheld. This heavy scrutiny is why it is always recommended to only play at UK-licensed operators.
But how did the tighter regulations affect online casinos? The official figure, according to iGB, a portal dedicated to the regulated global online gambling industry, is a 95% drop of VIP customers. Let’s have a closer look at what VIP online casino experience is and what this dramatic decline really means.
What are VIP programmes?
VIP programmes at online casinos are designed to replace the in-person experience of getting levels of service above and beyond that of regular players. They are linked to dedicated players who have higher bankrolls and typically bet big.
They generally operate on a tiered system, where points are earned from gambling to climb through the levels. Naturally, the higher the VIP tier is, the greater the rewards like faster withdrawals, a personal account manager, higher deposit limits and customer support priority.
It’s also common to find tailored promotions and bonuses in the higher tiers of VIP clubs, with things like physical gifts, experiences and invitations to VIP tournaments.
Getting in the club
VIP programmes at online casinos are typically invite-only. Operators will monitor deposit and betting activity and reach out to a player to see if they want to join. Among the main criteria are value and frequency of deposits, along with value and volume of bets placed. Some operators allow customers who believe they should be in the VIP club the chance to reach out to customer support to see if they can get in.
Harder entry
The 2020 regulation changes, which came about after talks between the Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council, meant that VIP club handling got a little more difficult for operators.
Among the main changes, more rigorous checks on a player’s background, finances and their betting behaviour become a requirement before joining, to help protect players from getting into something difficult to monetarily sustain.
As well as prohibiting anyone under the age of 25 from entering such a scheme, the new rules also forced senior management to oversee them, and perhaps the biggest shake-up was that the new regulations meant that casinos could no longer incentivise VIP experiences based on customer losses.
How did the changes affect operators?
Having studied the impact of the changes in the industry after the new regulations, the Gambling Commission reported that the number of High Value Customer Schemes dropped from 42,349 (22 operators) to 1,616 (18 operators) between April 2023 and March 2024.
That equated to a massive 95% drop in players registered for VIP programmes, leaving operators with an average of just 89.80 VIPs compared to 1,925 at the start of the period.
From the number of operators involved in the survey, around 60% of them were still offering VIP schemes, down from 67% before the regulatory changes were introduced. So the amount of available programmes has remained fairly stable, but just the number of players being onboarded has dropped dramatically.
The bigger headache
This naturally resulted in a big headache for online gambling platforms, namely a significant loss in gross gambling yield (GGY) from VIP programmes. In the 2023-24 financial year, the total generated by VIP programmes, according to the same report, was £10.87 million, down 51% from the 2022-23 period GGY (£22.18 million). The numbers indicate that the tighter regulations have meant a significant depression in this income stream for operators.
Player protections
The measures introduced by the Gambling Commission were designed with player protection in mind, to help prevent vulnerable individuals from getting exploited, by forcing casinos to take more rigorous steps to ensure that what a player was spending as a VIP was affordable.
Further protections by stopping incentives like cashback on losses and bonuses for losing streaks have also played a part in putting the brakes on participation. The concern with tiered rewards is that players can overspend just to achieve new ones or sustain their current levels, which can lead to problem gambling.
VIP Programmes are still available, but it appears to no longer be the powerhouse of an income stream that it once was.
Entertainment
Pembrokeshire soprano to perform at International Eisteddfod
HAVERFORDWEST music teacher and soprano soloist Clare Harrison is set to perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen next month.
Clare will sing under the baton of Sir Karl Jenkins on Tuesday, July 7, as part of the World Choir, an auditioned international chorus of singers, for the long-awaited Welsh premiere of his work One World.
She will also perform in a new commission, Greeting the Dawn, by Sam Buttler, and in Peace Child with Wrexham-based chorus NEW Voices.
Clare combines a busy teaching schedule with regular solo performances across Wales and the borders.
Her next Pembrokeshire appearance will be as soloist with Tenby Male Choir at St Mary’s Church, Tenby, on Thursday, July 16.
Caption:
Clare Harrison: The Haverfordwest soprano will perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.
Entertainment
Harbour Fest to bring music, food and maritime magic to Milford Waterfront
Free family festival will celebrate Milford Haven’s seafaring history and coastal community
MILFORD WATERFRONT will burst into life on Saturday, June 27, as the first Harbour Fest sails into town for a day of music, food, family fun and maritime celebration.
The free event will run from 10:00am to 6:00pm at Mackerel Quay and across the waterfront, bringing together local traders, live entertainment, coastal organisations and independent businesses for a packed day beside the water.
Organisers say the festival will celebrate everything that makes Milford Haven special, from its seafaring history and working harbour to its growing reputation as a destination for food, shopping, culture and family days out.
Visitors will be able to browse stalls from local makers and producers, enjoy street food and live performances, and explore a Marine Zone featuring organisations involved in sea safety, marine conservation and coastal life.
The Marine Zone will include Seagrass Network Cymru / Project Seagrass, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Dyfed-Powys Police, NCI Wooltack Point, Rudders Marine Training, RNLI Milford Haven and RNLI Angle Lifeboat.
RNLI Angle Lifeboat is expected to be based on the Mackerel Stage, while the Sea Cadets will be giving rope-tying displays at Milford Haven Museum, where craft activities will also be taking place.
Live entertainment will run throughout the day, with performances from Tom & Abz, Will Scott, Ryan Bristow, Milford Haven Town Band, Kyle Kirkhouse and ShantyJacs Sea Shanties.
Businesses across the waterfront are also joining in. All Pets Vet Care will hold a family-friendly open day with a bouncy castle, treasure hunts, quizzes, craft activities and behind-the-scenes tours. Aurora Artisan Crafts will host vocal performances, Biffy’s Bar & Restaurant will feature solo acoustic music from Laurence Lewis, and Martha’s Vineyard will offer seafood street food with live music from Ryan Bristow and Steve Bartram.
At Tŷ Milford Waterfront’s outdoor plaza there will be face painting, children’s activities, pop-up artists and an afternoon DJ set, while Phoenix Bowl and Pirate Pete’s Adventure Play will have inflatables and glitter tattoos outside.
The Waterfront Gallery will host introduction to felt-making workshops with textile artist Carole Fletcher, giving participants the chance to create a woollen felt flower pin brooch or phone/glasses case. The workshops start at 10:30am, 1:00pm and 3:30pm and cost £5 per person.
A wide range of traders will also be attending, including 5th Flock Spirits Co, Cinnamon Grove Distillery, Cwm Deri Wines & Liqueurs, Ferncraft, Get Loaded, J.J. Pottery, Major Nuts, Orange Garden Design, Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm, Pembrokeshire Gold, Pembrokeshire Lottery, Plumstone Welshcakes and SlateArtSJ.
With music drifting across the marina, food stalls lining the waterfront and lifeboats, sea safety teams and coastal groups adding a strong maritime flavour, Harbour Fest is expected to bring a lively summer atmosphere to one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known waterside destinations.
Organisers say the event is suitable for families, friends and visitors of all ages, with plenty to see and do throughout the day.
Photo caption: Harbour Fest will take place at Milford Waterfront on Saturday, June 27 (Pic: Milford Waterfront).
Entertainment
Filming begins on new Welsh BBC comedy starring Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs
A HEARTWARMING new Welsh BBC comedy co-written by Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs has started filming in South Wales.
Better Later, a six-part series for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC One Wales, will explore the unexpected joys of an unlikely friendship.
The comedy stars Jones and Speirs as two people who meet at a knee trauma clinic. Retired teacher Clive, played by Speirs, is 60, widowed and facing a new chapter in life. Shelley Anne, played by Jones, is a 55-year-old environmental health officer going through a bitter divorce.
The series is being filmed in and around South Wales, including the Brecon Beacons, and is set in the fictional village of Brynfach.
Ruth Jones said: “In a funny way this show has been 35 years in the making, which is when I first met Steve. It’s not that we’re slow writers, it’s just that we’ve been up to other things. It’s fantastic to be back in front of the camera with him again.”
Steve Speirs said: “Our first time acting together for quite a long time. Ruth makes me laugh more than anyone and I’m a terrible giggler. This could be a long shoot.”
Better Later has been commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Comedy and is being made by Tidy Productions in association with BBC Studios Comedy, with support from Creative Wales.
The series was commissioned by Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning at BBC Cymru Wales, and Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The commissioning editors are Emma Lawson and Paul Forde.
Executive producers are Sarah Fraser for Tidy Productions and Josh Cole for BBC Studios Comedy. The producer is Owen Bell and the director is Simon Massey.
Transmission details will be announced in due course.
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