RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
When industry comes together On September 22nd, six of the largest online gaming operators in the U.S.—Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, Entain, FanDuel, and MGM Resorts International—came together to agree to the first industry-led responsible gambling standards 3 in the country. The coalition of operators, brought together by Entain, defined 12 principles 4 that include commitments to prevent underage and excluded individuals from participating in any form of gaming; to provide customers with informed choices about gaming through easily understood responsible gaming tools; and to continuously conduct research to track the impact of this collaboration. Here’s an abbreviated version of the 12 principles, the full version of which can be read at the link below: 1. We take active steps to prevent underage and excluded individuals from participating in any form of gaming within our products. 2. We help patrons make informed choices about their gaming. 3. We support the adoption and effective promotion of a unified nationwide responsible gaming toll-free helpline. 4. We abide by applicable standards of socially responsible advertising. 5. We provide our customers with tools to play responsibly. 6. We abide by all self-exclusion rules and regulations, and provide resources to individuals who make the choice to self-exclude. 7. We encourage patrons to set a budget that they can afford and never play beyond their means. 8. We encourage patrons to set time and financial limits on their gaming and stick to them. 9. We believe in a shared responsibility approach to addressing problem gaming. We work with policymakers, academic experts and researchers, problem gaming treatment organizations, advocacy groups, our partners, and our customers to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming. 10. We support funding for evidence-based problem and responsible gaming research. 11. We provide employees with responsible gaming training upon hire and regularly thereafter. 12. We are committed to evaluating and continuously
monitoring our responsible gaming programs and initiatives. As a Trustee for Entain Foundation U.S., I believe strongly in the work that Entain and other industry operators are doing to promote responsible gambling. While these 12 principles don’t cover every possible aspect of an operator-led RG program, they lay out a strong foundation on which the industry can build a truly effective, unified front to tackle problem gambling and protect their customers from addiction-related harm. As noted by Martin Lycka, my colleague at Entain Foundation U.S. and Entain’s Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling, the principles are “truly a first for this market and a significant step for addressing problem gaming on a consistent basis.” The benefits of being responsible The 12 principles announcement is a clear example of how operators can validate their claim to being focused on responsible gambling. The media environment surrounding the legal gambling industry often portrays the space in a negative light, with operators prioritizing their profits at the expense of their customers’ safety. Operators that wish to shed this impression can do so by taking real, impactful actions to educate consumers and promote responsible gambling. Globally, Entain Foundation has committed over $132 million over a five-year span to promote responsible gambling, sports integrity, and compliance within the gambling industry. While the industry will likely always have detractors, it can be difficult to argue with institutions that have a clear, proven track record of emphasizing player safety and well-being. Public education through media Media engagement is perhaps the best way to educate bettors and the general public on the benefits of playing with responsible operators. Earned media coverage serves as a particularly powerful source of validation of betting platforms’ safeguards and commitment to responsible gambling. Members of the general public primarily learn about the legal gambling space through reading the news. As such, journalists’ views of gambling help
3 https://sbcamericas.com/2022/09/23/online-operators-rgem-12-point-plan/ 4 https://igamingbusiness.com/social-responsibility/responsible-gambling/online-operators-collaborate-to-set-us-responsible-gaming-standards/
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IMGL MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2023
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