Online gambling regulators in the UK and Malta have warned operators not to let their standards slip during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic … or else.

On Thursday, UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) CEO Neil McArthur issued a public message to the nation’s online gambling licensees, noting his recent discussions with industry representatives regarding how the current crisis has impacted their operations.

While the UKGC is currently drawing up an initial assessment of how its own work will be impacted by COVID-19, McArthur wants UKGC licensees to be “very mindful … of the fact that the risks of harm arising from online gambling have increased as a result of recent events.”

McArthur made it “absolutely clear” that the UKGC has three expectations of its licensees at present: consumer protection, responsible marketing and compliance with license conditions and codes of practice.