As England progressed through the European football championships, the interest around their success grew. The betting industry has reported a dramatic increase in the number of gambling customers requesting identity verification. Between June 14 and 16, popular online gambling sites experienced a 750% surge in new customers requesting to verify their identity and open a new account. June 14, the opening day of Euro 2024, marked the busiest sign-up day, surpassing verification volumes for new customers during the 2022 World Cup.

Why Do Gambling Companies Verify My Identity?

In the UK, gambling is restricted to adults over the age of 18. This law applies whether you are going into a physical bookmakers’ and filling in a betting slip, or placing your bets online. Asking potential customers to go through an identity verification helps to ensure that underage people are not allowed to gamble. It can also deal with other problems such as people setting up multiple accounts, money laundering, or exploiting the sign-up bonus amounts which websites often promote to new customers only. Industry experts have also warned that the sheer number of people who are trying to set up new accounts during major sporting events such as the Olympics or Euro 2024 can overwhelm the system. This is especially the case on the smaller websites which are not geared up for dealing with hundreds of new sign-ups.

Underage gambling appears to be a growing issue in he UK. A recent report from a credit referencing and identity verification agency revealed that 26% of 11-17 year olds gambled illegally in 2023. The government has imposed strict regulation on the online gambling industry, requiring proper identity verification before anyone can access their account. This even applies to free access games which do not require money to play.

How Identities are Verified for Online Gambling Portals

The legislation states that online gambling companies must verify the identity of customers, but doesn’t say exactly how they should go about doing this. Each website will have its own rules and processes, but some of the most common things you might come across are:

• Online identity verification – this is similar to the process you go through when applying for a passport online, or when verifying your identity for a DBS check or to apply for Benefits. You are directed to a trusted third-party provider to complete the required steps.
• Data Analysis – the website has software and technology to monitor patterns of behaviour and immediately block accounts thought to be suspicious.
• Blockchain – this is similar to the technology used in cryptocurrency. It lets users verify their age without entering other personal details into the site.
• Biometrics – customers have to use their facial features or fingerprints to access the website, making it difficult to share accounts.
• Geolocation – this software makes sure that you are located in a country where gambling is legal.
• Data brokers – some websites work with agencies which can access public records such as electoral rolls or credit records. This provides another layer of authentication for users.