In honor of Responsible Gaming Education Month, US gaming operators have banded together to promote responsible gambling. The month-long campaign is aimed at educating players about the risks associated with problem gambling and helping them to find resources if they need help. This week, the gaming operators are holding a webinar to discuss responsible gaming in more detail.
American Gaming Association (AGA) Vice President for Strategic Communications & Responsibility, Cait DeBaun hosted a webinar this week that focuses on resources, tools, and responsible gaming.
- 1. DraftKings Senior Director for Responsible Gaming, Christine H. Thurmond
- 2. Playtech Head of Regulatory Affairs, Charmaine Hogan
- 3. National Council on Problem Gambling, Director of Programs, Jaime Costello
The panel discusses some of the major advancements in online gambling technology and the collaboration of iGaming giants to promote responsible gaming.
Tools for Responsible Gambling
The legalization of gambling has led to a boom in the industry, with people spending billions of dollars on sports betting and casino games like blackjack, slots, and roulette. This growth has been driven in part by technological advancement, which has made it easier than ever to place a bet. However, technology can also be used to support responsible gambling efforts.
DraftKings
DraftKings educates consumers even before they even deposit funds to their accounts. The player can access the step-by-step process through the education hubs on the website or app to know the basics and even the updates about the casino games, odds, and promotions. As per Thurmond:
“I’m a firm believer that the best-trained workforce in this space will transistor to the most informed player base. When people know it and they have responsible gaming in their head when they’re at their jobs, it becomes part of what they do.”
In addition, DraftKings recently signed a deal with BetBlocker, a software proprietor which helps players block legal and illegal betting sites anonymously and set time restrictions for free.
Playtech
On the other hand, Playtech, a gambling software development company established a division unit that uses AI-based analytics and research to detect issues in gambling – the Playtech Protect Division.
“The beauty of it is that it’s not just a scoreboard of how much time or money you’ve spent online. It’s looking at the payment systems and methods,” Hogan said.
It looks at your deposits, wagers, and your fluctuations in those. Are you increasing? How often are you increasing? Are you chasing losses? Are you playing later at night? Those are examples of key markers.”
Operators’ Collaboration to Promote Responsible Gambling
In the past, gambling operators were mostly concerned with acquiring new customers and generating short-term profits. However, there has been a shift in recent years towards responsible gaming, as operators have realized that players are more likely to stick around if they have a positive experience.
This means ensuring that players don’t get in over their heads and providing them with tools and resources to stay within their limits. Costello emphasized that responsible gambling should be a part of every discussion.
“If that means there’s a conversation about marketing and customer acquisition, responsible gaming also has to be part of the conversation. You don’t talk about a balanced diet without eating fruits and vegetables,” the Director added.
The gaming industry is a highly competitive one, with new operators constantly emerging to try to get a piece of the pie. However, there is one area where all gaming operators are on the same team, and that is responsible gaming.
Recently, some of the largest gambling operators including, BetMGM, DraftKings, Bally’s, FanDuel, Entain, and MGM Resorts International published the 12 principles for responsible gaming – the first-ever industry-led responsible gaming standards.
Operators work closely with responsible gaming organizations to make sure that their players are being treated fairly and responsibly. By working together, the gaming industry can ensure that everyone enjoys seamless, fun, and safe gambling experiences.
