Building long-term trust and engagement in responsible gambling

Much like Christmas, Safer Gambling Week seems to come round sooner every year. And despite criticism from the usual suspects, I am delighted to see it return.

For operators, regulators, policymakers and players alike, Safer Gambling Week is a fantastic opportunity for us all to unite and remind ourselves of the overarching ambition we all share to ensure gambling remains safe, enjoyable and entertaining for the millions who engage with our products every year. Safer Gambling Week creates opportunities to raise awareness of gambling-related harm, the importance of customer protection, and crucially the need for a stigma-free dialogue.

Raising awareness encourages players to reflect on their habits, empowering them to recognise the signs of gambling-related harm in themselves or others. And by highlighting the array of tools and resources available, from limits, reality checks, product blocks and other tools, we can make progress in our ambition. Because when customers understand these resources, they are better equipped to make informed choices, creating a safer environment for all.

For the wider community, Safer Gambling Week is also an essential step toward breaking down the stigma surrounding gambling harm. Many people may feel shame or embarrassment about seeking help, fearing judgment or misunderstanding. By normalising discussions about these issues, we can create a supportive space for customers, families and communities. This destigmatisation is crucial: as individuals feel more comfortable reaching out, they can access help earlier, reducing harm and mitigating the negative consequences of gambling.

Kindred’s commitment to safer gambling, highlighted by our ‘Journey towards zero’ initiative, underscores the broader importance of embedding safer practices within the industry. When operators prioritise safer gambling, we build trust with customers, improve reputation and foster a more sustainable business model. Creating an environment where safer gambling is central to operations means not only reducing harm but also building long-term trust and engagement with our sector. 

We know that our approach is working, and if we take a look under the bonnet of our data, we can see the benefits that events like Safer Gambling Week – combined with our broader commitment to raising the awareness with players of staying in control of gambling – is having on our players. 

For example, in Q3 2022, around 34% of our players in the UK were using a voluntary safer gambling tool – with deposit limits and reality checks the most popular. But just two years later, in Q3 of this year, that has increased to 61%. This sharp increase is a fantastic step forward – and highlights the increasing level of knowledge and confidence among our players to ensure their gambling remains enjoyable and entertaining. 

We are proud that our focus and investment in our innovative technology is having a meaningful impact across customer behaviour. This has been made possible because of the huge advancement in technology – and we devote significant resources and effort towards improving our tools for identifying and helping potential problem gamblers.

This sort of approach has not always been the case of course. Technology has advanced rapidly across the world in several industries. Gambling is no different – with the sophisticated data held by gambling companies about its customers meaning that we can forge sophisticated solutions to tackling harm. We can, for example, analyse harm in a way that many other industries – such as the alcohol sector – simply can’t. This allows us to be incredibly targeted in our interventions – ensuring that the focus always remains on those that need help while not hindering the overwhelming majority who gamble safely and responsibly on our platforms.

This risk-based approach is critical in our focus to reduce gambling related harm. The over-simplification of the debate at times can be challenging – this is a complicated issue and requires complex solutions. For example, the debate about spend is often littered with problems. It can of course be a part of harm in some cases, but it is usually never the only factor. Harm can occur at low levels of spend – making blanket and blunt approaches to these issues ineffective. Instead, a risk-based approach should be our collective focus. By identifying financial distress and limiting immediately, we can take decisive action where necessary. Then, everything else in a customer’s profile can be judged on merit and crucially backed by data and science.

Through initiatives like Safer Gambling Week, operators have a unique opportunity to promote awareness, reduce stigma and demonstrate that safer gambling is both an ethical obligation and a sound business strategy. By pressing ahead in this manner, we can create a more sustainable and trustworthy industry that places the well-being of customers at its core, ultimately benefiting the entire gambling ecosystem.

Tom Banks is group head of corporate affairs at Kindred Group and is responsible for the Stockholm-listed operator’s engagement with external stakeholders across its markets. 

In the past he has worked for policy and strategy consultancy Public First as director and head of Public First North and held the role of communications manager for West Ham United FC.