Social Media Tracker: Using social media to promote responsible gambling during Covid-19
In a series of monthly articles, Crystal Content takes a look at the issues around responsible gambling and ensuring customers are playing safely during the coronvirus pandemic
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that has already affected the way that many people live their lives. With lockdowns taking place around the world, some industries have been negatively affected, while others have managed to benefit.
In the world of online gambling, sports betting has taken a hit due to a lack of sporting events, but casino sites are increasing in popularity. Casino operator 888 recently stated that while they have seen their income from sports betting cut, many of these players have been trying out other products on their site.
With an increase in players trying out casino games such as slots or bingo, operators need to consider responsible gambling and how they promote their products. Here, we are going to look a little closer at the issue and discuss how some brands are achieving this through social media.
The problem
Responsible gambling is always important, and many operators will already have measures in place to promote this. Of course, when there are many people now stuck indoors with nothing else to do, the issue becomes more serious. Around 9.2% of people who spend money on bingo, casino games and online slots are classed as having a problem. This is a figure that the UKGC hopes to reduce over time, however, Covid-19 is now standing in the way.
Recently, a group of MPs called for a £50 daily cap on bets in order to tackle the increase in people trying out these sites. Operators have also been told that they must not encourage online gambling and use Covid-19 as a marketing tool. Those who do not stick to this face fines and their licences being removed.
Tombola
Tombola Bingo was founded in 2000 and since then has secured its position within the industry. Tombola is extremely popular with players due to its Arcade and Bingo sites that come with exclusive games and chat rooms. These chat rooms are often seen as a place for players to connect with each other and they are extremely popular. The tombola Facebook page has over 173,316 page likes, and it regularly connects with players on there.
One of the side effects of Covid-19 and lockdowns in place around the world is that people are feeling isolated. Many people are now searching for new ways to connect with other people and some are using online casino chat rooms. This issue has the potential for those who are feeling isolated to spend more money, just to be able to talk with others.
The team at tombola is very aware of this issue and is using social media channels to combat it and encourage players to engage without spending money. On 1 April, the chat manager at tombola shared a video on its social channels discussing the matter. In this video, Lucy explained that players do not have to spend money on the site to use the chat room. This is something that some players might not be aware of and so it was extremely useful that tombola shared this information. This video received 123 likes and many comments from players who appreciated the message.
Another video posted on the tombola Facebook page discussed safe play during Covid-19 and how to carefully monitor your spending. This indicates that tombola is really focusing on responsible gambling and is doing what it can to support players through this tough time.
It would be easy, albeit against regulations, for tombola to use this time to encourage people to socialise by spending money on its site. It is clear that the operator cares more about its players based on the encouragement to chat using the site without spending any money. Of course, there is a chance that someone who means to only chat will end up depositing. In this case, the chat monitors are on hand to regularly discuss safe play and encourage players to set deposit limits.
What can be done?
Tombola is a great example of a brand that cares about its players. It has a solid reputation for providing a place for bingo and casino fans to socialise and with Covid-19 leaving a lot of people feeling isolated, it is doing what it can to help.
While other brands are continuing to offer responsible gambling features, tombola is one of the only brands using social media to promote this during Covid-19. It is vital that all operators are considering the current situation and are not capitalising on it. As this continues, we’d like to see other operators take a leaf out of tombola’s book and promote the community aspect without a focus on depositing on their social media channels.
Operators must adhere to gambling regulations and continue to look after their players. With many players switching from sports betting to other products and no clear guidance on when Covid-19 will end, responsible gambling is key. Keep an eye on some of the industry leaders and their social media channels to see how they decide to proceed over the next few months.
Sharon McFarlane is the managing director of Crystal Content – a digital marketing agency that specialises in igaming. She has eight years’ experience in the industry and has contributed regularly to industry magazines and conferences sharing her expertise on all things digital marketing. Her company (www.crystalcontent.co.uk) offers an outsourced solution for igaming businesses when it comes to content marketing, social media, UX design, website design, branding and conversion rate optimisation.