GeoComply to fund two-year study on efficacy of self-exclusion programs
Anti-fraud solutions provider partnering with International Center for Responsible Gaming on initiative
GeoComply is set to fund a two-year research project with the goal of learning more about the efficacy of voluntary self-exclusion programs throughout the regulated US gaming space.
The anti-fraud solutions provider will work in concert with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which will be tasked with conducting the research and reporting its findings.
Self-exclusion programs represent key components of the responsible gambling (RG) infrastructure of states with legalized sports betting across the US.
The primary mechanics of the programs revolve around would-be bettors proactively opting out of participation in activities with regulated operators on account of problem gambling tendencies.
Through the upcoming research project, GeoComply and the ICRG are seeking to better understand the effectiveness of self-exclusion programs and, just as important, whether they need to be expanded.
“There is a necessity to determine whether enhancing these programs would result in more customer participation and whether this would be beneficial,” said ICRG president Arthur B. Paikowsky.
“We have been committed to responsible gambling initiatives since forming GeoComply over a decade ago,” added co-founder and CEO Anna Sainsbury.
“We need more data to support the industry’s actions around RG, and I am really happy that we can support the ICRG’s research in this important area.”
While the overarching mandate is to assess the long-term effectiveness of self-exclusion programs, the ICRG will be investigating a number of more specific topics.
This includes trying to settle on the most effective form of self-exclusion: determining the ideal duration of exclusion from a gaming operator as well as formulating the criteria that should be used to judge if an excluded person should be allowed back.
Additional topics such as the nomenclature of self-exclusion itself – namely whether it carries a negative connotation and stigma that may deter participation – and how to create an optimal registration structure will also be investigated.
The findings from the research will be published in October 2025.