Four reasons to invest heavily in responsible gambling

It might be tempting to shrug off responsible gambling as little more than a PR ploy, aimed at convincing the public that we care about our customers.

However, there is so much more to it than that. Responsible gambling is about protecting customers from spending too much time or money on gambling, as well as interacting with those who show signs of problematic play. This can be achieved by offering customers a range of tools to control their play, as well as engaging with them on a regular basis and working with elected officials to ensure there is an effective system of regulation in each state.

For all its importance, this is an area in which stakeholder knowledge is often low, mainly as a result of the lack of research on the subject. That is one of the reasons why the GVC Foundation US, an organisation that is dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity and corporate compliance throughout the country, has partnered with a spectrum of organisations in the US to advance its mission:

• Harvard Medical School Faculty at the Division on Addiction, to conduct research on internet gaming behaviour and establish behavioural markers of gambling problems among online players
• National Council on Problem Gambling, to address problem gaming throughout the US
• UNLV International Gaming Institute, to produce a study answering common questions posed by legislators about online gambling and sports wagering
• Seton Hall Law School, to deliver a bootcamp promoting compliance and integrity in gaming
• NFLPA Professional Athletes Foundation, to create, market and launch responsible gambling and sports integrity sessions for former NFL players

Such initiatives are aimed at increasing the focus on responsible gambling, which in turn delivers material benefits for consumers, operators and the industry as a whole. Here’s how:

It ensures sustainability

The United States is regulating gambling on a state-by-state basis, and legislators look to the track record of states that have already gone through the process for guidance. If Nevada’s legalisation of sports betting had led to widespread financial ruin and a crippling public health crisis, states like Washington and Illinois would have halted their own legalisation plans.

The promotion of responsible gambling has an immediate impact on gamblers, which in turn produces better outcomes – meaning that the industry will be viewed more favourably by legislators considering legalisation. This outcome can only be realised if operators look to the practice as more than just an exercise in corporate social responsibility; instead, they must embed it into the fabric of their operations. This means a substantive and ongoing programme of financial investment, such as the one being made by the GVC Foundation US.

Responsible gamblers help everyone

The use of responsible gambling tools – from session timers to spending limits – allows gamblers to have fun in a consistent and sustainable manner. By making these tools more available to consumers, we can encourage a positive and sustainable source of enjoyment. As with any business, satisfied customers can then become unofficial ambassadors to their friends, families and co-workers – not just for a specific brand or company, but for the industry as a whole. In other words, the gaming industry’s ability to play its part in the entertainment mix is reaffirmed every time we provide responsible fun to one of our customers.

In the Covid-19 era, nothing is certain

Covid-19 has converted many land-based casino customers into online gambling enthusiasts. The widespread closure of brick-and-mortar casinos and expansion of online gambling markets, despite the total shutdown of major sports, has permanently shifted the consumer habits that dictate the gaming ecosystem.

Online gambling operators must not overlook the significance of this shift. We’re now dealing with many first-time online gamblers whose experiences with gambling will be shaped by their first few interactions. Extensively monitoring the markers of problem gambling will help to protect these new consumers and ensure they’re able to gamble responsibly and sustainably.

It gives weight to our mission

The gambling industry has many detractors. The most common criticism we face is that betting is inherently destructive, not just to individual gamblers but to our culture and society as a whole. In addition to highlighting empirical evidence from jurisdictions with legalised sports betting and online gaming, there is no better way to address these concerns than through concerted efforts to emphasise and empower responsible gambling.

It may seem daunting to reshape an organisation’s business model around responsible gambling but, at this critical juncture in the development of gaming, there is no other option. It’s time to give responsible gambling the attention and resources it deserves.

Martin Lycka is the director of regulatory affairs for GVC Holdings and a trustee of GVC Foundation US, an organisation dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity and corporate compliance throughout the country.