UKNIP are delighted to bring to our readers an exclusive interview with one of the top gambling experts currently in the UK, Jean Prince.
Jean Prince has worked within the UK gambling/iGaming industry for over a decade and has worked for several of the most well-known and biggest betting companies in the industry. He has worked in a variety of positions including as a consultant for numerous top gambling firms and as a CEO of his own.
Prince is currently the Editor in Chief of UK slots comparison website, SlotsHawk.com.
UKNIP – We are delighted that you have taken time out of your busy schedule to speak to us, Jean. First of all, what is happening in the UK currently in regard to online gambling regulation? It seems like laws are being changed on a weekly basis.
Jean Prince – It’s a pleasure to talk to you. The phrase ‘as clear as mud’ springs to mind here. The UK seems to be quickly on the verge of going from one of the best and safest gambling markets in the world to one of the worst. The devastating aspect of this is that law makers probably have the best intentions. The recent gambling white paper in the UK, if it goes ahead into law, will put very stringent restrictions on the average UK gambler. These restrictions may include monthly deposit limits below £300, betting limits on certain slots as well as certain privacy concerns. For example, punters may have to send gambling companies bank statements proving that they can afford to deposit money online to gamble with.
UKNIP – If such laws are likely to make the industry less safe, why would they go ahead with such laws?
Jean Prince – Naivety is one aspect. As is trying to please the anti-gambling brigade. To give you another phrase, ‘the path to hell is paved with good intentions.’ What they don’t seem to understand is that if you tighten regulations too much, you will actually put in danger those you are wishing to protect. If a punter would like to be more than £200 per month but the government is stopping them from doing so, they will find ways around this. The most obvious way being that the punter will play at an unregulated gambling site, whether that’s a casino or a sports book.
UKNIP – How likely do you think it will be that some players go to these unregulated sites?
Jean Prince – If punters are restricted from being able to play whenever they want, you better believe that they will simply head on over to a gambling operator which does not have to adhere to such restrictions. It’s as simple as that.
UKNIP – To change the subject slightly, what does your website SlotsHawk.com do?
Jean Prince – It is simply a comparison website for online slot sites. Our team of expert writers (which includes me) review, compare and contrast all gambling operators in the UK which offer slot games to their punters. Our main objective is to provide slots players with as much correct information as possible. We want our audience to play the best slots available to them which is why we are so keen to supply them with the info on the slots with the highest payouts and return to player levels.
The online slot sites at SlotsHawk.com are all UKGC regulated and are, in our opinion, currently the best and safest places to gamble online.
UKNIP – How do you see the future of online gambling then?
Jean Prince – Rather bleak as far as the UK is concerned. SlotsHawk recently posted a news piece by Jon Bryan which highlighted how there are plenty of commentators, including the Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission itself, which misuse statistics in order to frame a certain narrative. Unfortunately, that narrative is that gambling, online gambling especially, is a danger to society. In reality, gambling is enjoyed by millions of Brits and the percentage of problem gamblers is at a record low.
However, we do believe that information surrounding safe online gambling is as good as it has ever been. There are plenty of safety tools which are widely accessible to all. GAMSTOP especially is a marvellous tool which allows players to sign up and, if need be, ban themselves from being able to play at all UKGC licensed casinos. Therefore, from this perspective, the whole sphere has never been safer from gambling related harm. Unfortunately, if you read the British tabloids, you would never think this. Quite the opposite, in fact.
UKNIP – Thank you so much for speaking to us, Jean. We hope you will join us again in the future.
Jean Prince – It’s been a pleasure.
