Setting Sights on Innovation
“ While responsible gaming is a year-round philosophy for Sightline and the products we bring to market , RGEM brings a sharp focus to this issue and its importance to the health and success our industry and our consumers ,” says Andrew Crowe , senior vice president , investor relations and growth initiatives for Sightline Payments LLC .
“ As we expand access to gaming and modernize the casino floor , we must emphasize the expanded RG tools that come with this , including greatly enhanced visibility into player behavior , along with better player controls , budgeting tools , and access to problem gambling support .”
Sightline works directly with the leading mobile sports and iGaming operators and over 180 tribal and commercial properties to provide omnichannel payment solutions , cashless slot and table play , and loyalty mobile apps , Crowe says .
“ As a payment solution for iGaming and mobile sports , our product is imbedded in the operators ’ apps and they control the entire UI / UX ,” he asserts . “ For brick-and-mortar casinos , we are integrated directly with their CMS platform to support a full range of loyalty applications and enable cashless play for slots and tables .”
Crowe makes important distinctions regarding the “ problem gambling ” term .
“ The first step for our industry is to help remove the stigma associated with problem gambling , compulsive behavior and general mental health ,” he says . “ RG tools should be made widely available and become a natural part of the gaming experience .” The second distinction concerns looking at the online market , he adds . On one hand , it is perceived as a floodgate-opening lever to the masses , some of whom can become problem gamblers . On the other , it provides a significant improvement to the RG tools , controls , and analytics available to regulators , operators and the players themselves , Crowe indicates . Here is the rest of his overview :
• Regulators : Digital player engagement means extensive data on actual player activity and behavior . This is a massive improvement over anonymous cash play , and the new level of insight will drive well-informed decisions on how to balance the industry ’ s commercial aspirations with the very-important public policy considerations .
• Operators : This same view of player activity and behavior will help operators gain a much better understanding of the impact of marketing initiatives and opportunities for and effectiveness of RG tools that can be deployed in support of healthy gaming play .
• Players : In addition to the benefits to regulators and operators , digital play also gives the players total visibility into their gaming activity , including spend levels and historical win / loss rates . Players can also leverage new RG controls , such as time tracking , funding and wager limits , and self-exclusion functions .
• Banks : Often lost in the RG discussion or debates about credit card funding is the role that the player ’ s bank can play in this process . For example , when a credit card is used to fund gaming activity , the issuing bank adds an entirely new level of oversight into healthy gaming activity — the bank knows the player ’ s income , credit quality and general credit card usage . They also know this is a gaming transaction and their approval of each individual transaction is an expanded layer of visibility and control that is not available to regulators or operators .
Sightline ’ s flagship product , Play +, enables players to use a single digital payment method across all gaming channels and throughout the entire resort through a secure account . It ’ s currently the cashless solution of choice with more than 80 partners in 40-plus states across the sports betting , lottery , horse racing , and online and brick-and-mortar casino markets .
Sightline ’ s mobile loyalty platform , Mobile +, gives casino resorts the ability to offer patrons a fully customizable app capable of providing access to all patron-facing services as well as tracking and applying loyalty across the entire property .
“ Loyalty and payments should follow a player across all channels and verticals of the gaming experience ,” Crowe says . “ Sightline offers a single account that can move funds in real time between a player ’ s mobile sports betting app , mobile transfers in / out of slot machines , and to buy in and digitally cash out at tables games .”
That means a player can witness his / her entire spending pattern , including gambling , to make an assessment about it .
Responsible Tools : A Vintage Reservoir
There will always be a demand for new products and upgrades because , regardless of progress , periodic incidents underscore their necessity . As this story was being researched , the NFL suspended four players in late June for violating the league ’ s gambling policy .
Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts , along with free agent Demetrius Taylor , have been suspended at least through the end of 2023 for betting on NFL games in 2022 .
Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans is suspended for the first six games of the 2023 season for betting on non-NFL sports at the club facility .
This happens just as Calvin Ridley is getting back on the field . The talented wide receiver was suspended for the entire 2022 season for gambling on the Falcons . He reportedly lost more than $ 2 million by sitting out the 2022 season .
Like most people who have abused gambling , he has not been condemned . Ridley , now a Jacksonville Jaguar , talked about anxiety and depression leading up to his gambling mistake .
His story is worth noting and could help anyone avert a big problem if they experience the triggers Ridley had . There is always something else to learn , always something more to do . There are still major bettors who will drop $ 1 million on an in-game NFL wager . There are still some relationships that are harmed and perhaps some families torn apart .
But the key is “ some ,” rather than “ many .” Responsible gambling has not only become fashionable ; it may ultimately become chic . More operators will eventually view this as a necessary part of their blueprint .
That ’ s not only good corporate spirit , but a potential gold mine for the companies who fill this niche first .
46 Global Gaming Business AUGUST 2023