RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
shape their coverage, which in turn guides public sentiment. By engaging directly and honestly with journalists, operators can help generate public, regulatory, and cultural support for the industry. Beyond organic coverage, which is never guaranteed, many companies have successfully educated the public on responsible gambling through social media. Wager Score, a platform that converts 1% of every dollar bet on gaming partner sites into charitable, tax-deductible donations, prompts its target audience to “Bet Smart, Give Back.” The first-of-its-kind technology has caught significant attention through its social media- driven content strategy, particularly on TikTok. How operators can co-exist While the 12 principles announcement stands out as an example of how responsible companies can collaborate with each other, to the benefit of bettors and the industry as a whole, these entities face another challenge: how can they coexist with irresponsible operators? By and large, responsible operators should avoid doing business with black market platforms that don’t have basic safety guidelines in place. Such dealings can threaten their ability to gain public support, work with regulators, and develop trusting, impactful relationships with the media. This is an approach that I suspect most industry executives can stand by. A more difficult problem arises with major, legal operators who, while not operating illegally, do not prioritize responsible gambling and player safety to the extent that they should. Some of these companies have substantial public followings and power within the industry, and it can be difficult to avoid associating with them altogether. Responsible operators will generally do well by making clear, unvarnished statements on their approach to player safety, and not adjusting their standards to those held by their competitors. While betting companies may not sing from
identical hymn sheets, they can move towards basic agreements on reasonable operating guidelines- and ultimately move forward together.
On regulators The gambling industry’s regulators have a clear responsibility to enforce their guidelines, even at the expense of individual operators who choose not to abide by basic standards. For the sake of bettors, taxpayers, and the preservation of the industry as a whole, it is imperative that regulators advance the execution of responsible gambling protocols. There will always be debates over which responsible gambling regulations are needed to ensure a safe, practical industry. There is no uniform standard for the perfect approach to a piece of gambling legislation and how it should approach issues like advertising standards, credit card payments, or in-game bets. Ultimately, it is up to regulators to enforce the rules that are set down and agreed upon by lawmakers. Their role in ensuring a responsible industry is of the highest importance. A call to action I like to refer to responsible gambling as “sustainable gambling.” The reason is simple: American gambling operators will be plagued by continuous crises, like those faced by European companies, if they don’t take on an industry- wide dedication to protecting bettors. The very sustainability of the industry is dependent on its leaders’ commitment to responsible gambling. The 12 principles are an excellent path forward for our industry’s leaders to define responsible gambling, articulate its best practices, and adopt them in all areas. There is much, much more to do, and I believe we have the right people in place to build a sustainable, responsible gambling industry that prioritizes its customers’ safety above all else.
WILLIAM J. PASCRELL III (BP3) Partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group For information contact +1 609 209-9993 pascrell@ppag.com
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IMGL MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2023
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