Department of Trust partners with vulnerable persons register
Supplier’s product to support operators in relation to risk assessment will now include data from the UK’s largest database on vulnerable individuals
Department of Trust has penned a multi-year partnership with the Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS), the UK’s central database of vulnerable individuals.
About 700,000 people are on the VRS at any one time, with individuals able to self-report or be placed on the list by solicitors, banks, debt charities, local authorities and the NHS.
The new partnership will allow Department of Trust to cross-reference against the VRS for player protection purposes.
The deal will also see the supplier bolster its financial vulnerability check capabilities ahead of the monthly limits coming into effect from August.
Department of Trust said this would manifest by providing operators with “risk flags” based on the contents of the VRS.
The flags are designed to minimise the amount of information about the individual, instead giving an overall picture for operators to make decisions.
Charles Cohen, Department of Trust CEO, said the partnership was a “great development” as he claimed combining the VRS with its product would better support operators.
He said: “Operators have a very clear obligation to identify vulnerable customers, but extremely limited means to do so early and without intrusive questioning or document sharing.
“By incorporating the incredible Vulnerability Registration Service into DoTrust Complete [player protection platform], operators using our platform have the most effective means to meet their new obligations with the highest possible standard of data – and without exposing themselves to extraneous data points which can often raise more questions than they answer.
“Because these checks are so powerful, we are adding them not just as a standalone service but as an extension of our market-leading KYC, financial risk and vulnerability assessments and monitoring.”
Helen Lord, VRS CEO, added: “This partnership with the Department of Trust is a vital development in protecting people from potential gambling harm at a time when the issue has never been more in focus.
“Our service and this new alliance will help individuals avoid the same difficult conversations when engaging with gambling operators, ensuring adherence to regulatory compliance and best practice.”