While significant strides have been made, Dr Michael Auer, Managing Director at OpenBet’s Neccton, suggests there is a need for a uniform and proactive approach to player protection. 

A call for standardisation

The UK is largely viewed as a leader in responsible gaming best practices, but there is still no uniform approach among operators. When identifying problematic patterns of play, methods can vary significantly depending on the size and preferences of individual companies, leaving room for players to slip through the gaps.

Some operators will opt to use third-party responsible gaming tools, while others choose to police themselves and apply their own algorithms. Standardisation would be beneficial in ensuring scoring systems and thresholds are at a universal level, to avoid discrepancies in how risk is identified.

Spain is an example of how specific laws around player protection are effective. A risk score, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) scoring system, holds significant weight legally.

When operators in this market identify a customer is at high risk of harm, the law states they must refrain from taking certain actions, such as targeting them with advertising. Of course, there is a risk this clear and prescriptive approach negatively impacts revenues and in other markets where this is not written into the law, operators may adapt their algorithms to adjust how many players hit high-risk thresholds.

Conversely, regulations in the UK are still open to interpretation. If a player is gambling excessively, such as for six hours at night or chasing losses, there is a need for specific legal protections that lay out what actions need to be taken. In the coming years, we can expect the fast development of standard best practices to achieve this.

Thoughtful interventions

Maintaining a sustainable industry and spotting at-risk customers can be achieved by a proactive approach rather than a reactive one. The UK has proven that timely interventions, such as personalised messages, pop-up notifications, and deposit limit suggestions, have the power to reduce the risk of harm.

While monitoring player behaviour is important and it enables operators to detect players that have already developed an issue, providing information and ‘nudging’ them before a problem arises is most effective. If standardisation is around the corner, responsible gaming tools show that operators are taking responsibility for prevention themselves. 

Safer gambling posters in the windows of betting shops or slogans on adverts may stimulate initial conversations and attention, but informing somebody about a behaviour at the exact moment they are displaying it is far more effective.

Neccton’s pop-ups and nudges are proven to do this effectively, and interventions that present players with an option to update a deposit or time limit, or do a self-assessment, are much more effective. Research I conducted on the effects of loss-limit reminders shows a reduction in the amount of money wagered.

Operators can influence and keep harm numbers low if they inform players of their behaviour in real-time. It is about improving the quality and timing of interventions.

The global evolution of safer gambling 

Safer Gambling Week shows that the rhetoric around responsible gaming is not something to be feared but embraced as an opportunity to secure a sustainable future for the industry.

As the wider industry turns its focus to Brazil’s market opening in January, there is high interest in safer gambling, applying algorithms, utilising data and affordability checks from its regulators. Time will tell whether they converge towards a more rigid European approach or whether player protection guidelines will be as loose as the US. 

In Europe, regulation is hybrid and there are different requirements for each regulated market. In Germany, an individual can only deposit a certain amount. In Spain, you can only deposit a set amount and only after some time can this be increased. Looking ahead, this split approach looks set to stay for the foreseeable future. 

Steps must be taken to avoid overly heavy-handed safer gambling measures that risk pushing players to illegal betting spots. Research has proven that educating customers through targeted interventions is an effective way to reduce harm. Ultimately, consumers want to play with regulated, safety-focused brands that protect them, and this approach keeps the control in the hands of operators.

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