ADR in Online Gambling

As ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) refers to settling disputes outside of the courtroom, the UK Gambling Commission adopted this practice by publishing new ADR standards for the gambling field there. Under the ADR Regulations 2015, gambling ADR providers are independent bodies launched to eliminate disputes that do not involve going to a court.

These alternative dispute resolution providers are certified and empowered by the сommission. This means that in the gambling field, the UKGC is the entity regulating ADR by affirming ADR suppliers who want to offer administrations to independent UK betting sites and ensuring these entities comply with the 2015 regulations.

What does an Approved ADR Provider Mean?

Adding to the ADR regulations’ requirements, new standards for ADR providers in the gambling sphere were introduced on 31 October 2018. Therefore, the gambling operators and the players who experience gambling-related problems no longer go to the court to resolve their issues. As stated by the UK gambling watchdog, all the licensed gambling operators that operate in the UK are required to offer their customers the ADR body. Mind that the betting sites and the online casinos are allowed to choose their preferred ADR providers. Nonetheless, this ADR supplier must be approved by the UKGC. It should be noted that using ADR carries no charge for the users.

As mentioned above, an ADR body is a neutral person or entity that is authorized by the UKGC to offer service related to the dispute resolution for the concerned sides. The commission ensures that these approved providers meet the requirements set out in the ADR Regulations. These exigencies are around transparency and fairness, conflicts of interest procedures, effectiveness, legality, impartiality, and grounds to refuse to deal with a dispute. Some of the ADR providers empowered by the UKGC include eCORGA, ADR group, Tattersalls Committee, IBAS, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), Basta ADR service, ProMediate (UK) Limited, Jennifer Gallagher (Lindsays), and National Casino Forum (Independent Panel for Casino Arbitration).

ADR Responsibilities

In the gambling area, ADR is used to resolve issues and disputes involving gamblers and operators. As stated previously, ADR procedures enable the users to decide a dispute without trial so there is no need to contact the regulator as conflict resolution is easier. In fact, an ADR provider is an entity that is empowered by the UKGC to offer services of dispute resolution for players and operators. The customers send their complaints to these bodies who will give a decision after studying the customers’ case.

The ADR bodies give the customers a decision within 8 weeks from the receiving date. Since ADN is an entity to determine a discontent that happened within the gambling field, the most common disputes involving players and operators are related to delays and withdrawals. A gambling-related complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction made to the gambling operators.

For example, the complaint related to the outcome of a gambling transaction or about the way a transaction has been managed. As for the dispute, it is about a particular type of gambling-related complaint. For instance, this dispute is associated with the terms of a bonus offer or the bonus scheme. Mind that several complaints can be sent to the ARD entities.

ADR Procedure Summary

The providers decide the claims’ outcomes depending on the nature and the complexity of the customers’ issues. The first step is to check if the body acts as the ADR provider for the gambling operators you are complaining about. In fact, the complaints process is on the body's website and before using it, it is essential the customers learn this procedure. Then, you have to check that your complaint is not related to the grounds of refusal.

After allocating a mediator that is experimented in gambling dispute resolution, it is important you verify that the ADR body does not have a conflict of interest. Before requesting your file for review, you have to obtain the gambling operator’s response. Once it is approved, you are expected to receive a result within 90 days. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can reconsider this result within 3 months. Nevertheless, the reconsideration will be carried out in the same way as the previous procedure.