“ I see an appetite to understand more about how to communicate what responsible play looks like ”
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messaging a player daily or weekly falls short of addressing the immediate needs and complexities of modern-day gambling behaviours .”
Neccton ’ s Auer Neccton agrees . “ Responsible gambling isn ’ t just about problem gambling and providing resources ,” he says . “ It ’ s about facilitating responsible play among all players regardless of whether they show indications of problems or not .”
That last sentence is key to the prevention aspect of responsible play . All bettors start somewhere . So they should have constant , easy access to resources and tools that will help them understand the risks and avoid slipping into problematic habits .
“ Studies also show that it helps if operators use specialised personnel to reach out to players and alert them about behaviour ,” Auer adds . “ Players are said to subsequently gamble less if a trained responsible gambling individual reaches out to them .”
All of this should reach every level of the industry , including legislation that governs online gambling . “ It would make sense for legislation to focus on regulating the promotion of healthy gaming , rather than only focusing on the small percentage of those with problematic behaviours .”
What happens if prevention doesn ’ t work for a particular player ? Reactive solutions must definitively be part of the equation as well .
REACTIVE CARE : RIGHT TIME , RIGHT PLACE
Finding reactive solutions to problem gambling behaviours is the focus of Umfleet ’ s Kindbridge .
“ Anybody who presents to us can tap into our service ,” he says . “ We ’ re linked up with all the major health insurance companies , so people can use their health insurance to get access to help .”
Kindbridge works with operators such as DraftKings and BetMGM to connect players with resources , including licensed clinicians . The pipeline doesn ’ t end when a player ’ s access is cut off or the platform messages them . Kindbridge is , quite literally , a bridge to further care .
The approach also includes robust resources for players who choose to self-exclude . “ There ’ s a real opportunity to understand what ’ s visible and what kind of content lives on the page a person sees when they want to selfexclude ,” Umfleet says .
Kindbridge ’ s instant connectivity to a healthcare option facilitates a smoother player journey , whether they display problem behaviour or they choose to self-exclude .
Hartman chimes in here from the regulator ’ s perspective , pulling on his experience in Colorado .
“ Think about a 22-year-old who wants to bet on his college team . It helps him to have resources and references on how to do it responsibly and how to
“ I see an appetite to understand more about how to communicate what responsible play looks like ”
Daniel Umfleet , Kindbridge Behavioral Health
budget properly . Instead of barrelling down the rabbit hole without brakes , he can understand how to keep his play sustainable . In some cases , you may never reach the point where they have to be pulled from a platform or self-exclude .”
WHAT TO DO ?
Prevention and reaction are the two sides of the responsible gambling coin . While that ’ s a pithy soundbite , it hardly offers actionable solutions . But ultimately it benefits the businesses that embrace integrated , robust prevention strategies .
From Auer ’ s perspective : “ Recent findings show online players who set limits are 18 % more loyal , while personalising responsible gaming messages to players improves their effectiveness by 100 %.
“ Some operators have looked to strike an approach across both sides by forming industry panels that involve individuals who have historically struggled with problem play behaviours . The firsthand input is hugely helpful .”
74 • ISSUE 135 • ICE LONDON 2024