How Gaming Companies Can Adopt Responsible Gambling Practices

Every company should prioritize their users’ safety and well-being. Therefore, gaming companies should implement responsible gambling strategies to prevent players from developing gambling problems and addiction.

A survey conducted in the UK shows that 0.5% of punters have problems with gambling, 3.8% are at risk of developing issues, and around 7% feel a negative impact from other people's gambling. It proves once again that responsible gambling strategies must be an integral part of all gaming service providers and developers. Let's discover what responsible gambling is and how gaming companies can adopt its practices.

What is Responsible Gambling? 

Responsible gambling is a set of actions taken by players, communities, and game development companies to minimize or prevent the negative influence of gambling on society. It is important to ensure that gambling is used for entertainment purposes and to prevent people who shouldn't gamble from participating. 

Responsible gambling measures can be introduced by players who can set limits on gambling budgets, exercise self-control over betting, set time limits, self-exclude themselves from playing, etc. These are also gambling companies that should provide services in a responsible manner and inform punters about potential risks involved in this activity. 

Gamblers should also know about third-party vendors that include different tools and systems, like GamStop in the United Kingdom. Of course, there are umpteen non GamStop games to play at online casinos that also suggest responsible gambling tools and resources. They can help minimize the negative impact of gambling and let punters prevent themselves from wagering by restricting access to licensed casinos and sports betting sites. 

How to Implement Responsible Gambling Measures

Responsible gambling is one of the ways to protect players, so gaming companies and operators should look for effective strategies on how to integrate this approach in their software and gambling sites. Here are some measures to be implemented by service providers in this sphere:

• Protect players by giving them control of expenses with minimum and maximum deposit limits where banks can help, offering self-exclusion programs for players and helping people who want to help addicts.

• Inform and educate: promote responsible gambling information, inform about possible negative consequences, and share links to resources where players can get assistance. Sites should include contact information of helplines and organizations that help gamblers cope with addiction.

• Advertise responsible gambling: operators and gaming companies should avoid misleading advertising and excessive promotion.

• Cooperate with organizations that offer help: companies should work on the improvement of their responsible gambling practices and services by collaborating with such organizations as the National Council on Problem Gambling, Responsible Gambling Council, and others.

• Use modern technology: they can monitor gambling activities and prevent players who are at risk. It is possible to show warning messages during the gameplay and enforce limits on time and money spent on gambling. 

If companies introduce at least some of the following rules, their customers will surely gamble more responsibly and avoid being at the risk group of problem players.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives

Corporate social responsibility is a business model that allows a company to be socially accountable to itself, stakeholders, and clients. Speaking of CSR in the gambling industry, it covers 4 main responsibilities:

• Workplace

• Environment

• Community

• Responsible gambling

The last aspect requires special attention from businesses that offer gambling services online and in land-based casinos. They have different leverages to introduce such CSR initiatives as:

• Prevent gambling from being a source of crime or support it.

• Ensure that staking is conducted in a fair and open way.

• Protect vulnerable personalities, including underage players, from the negative impact of gambling.

This will lead to a smaller number of problem gamblers, a better customer retention rate, increased engagement, and improved brand imaging too.

Regulatory Compliance and Best Practices

All licensed gambling destinations should operate in accordance with the rules issued by gambling commissions to them. Naturally, there are requirements regarding responsible gambling as well. It is important to note that even many sites not on GamStop must adhere to and promote responsible gaming practices. One of the documents approved by the Gambling Regulatory Authority is called the Casino Control Act. It lists a range of requirements gaming companies should meet to implement responsible gambling strategies effectively. It is impossible to mention all the points, but there are several practices that work the best.

• Training employees on introducing responsible gambling measures.

• Reviewing the latest updates of the responsible gambling program.

• Setting the opportunity to view monthly expenditures and limits.

• Providing alerts when players reach certain expenditure limits.

• Showing a time counter to follow the time spent on the gambling site etc.

These are only some of the popular practices that are actively implemented in addition to traditional responsible gambling approaches. But their number and diversity will be constantly expanding to offer new solutions on how to protect gamblers at risk.

Conclusion

The role of responsible gambling shouldn't be underestimated nowadays since the number of problem gamblers is growing incessantly. It is not surprising that not only players should take care of their gambling experience, but also gaming companies and operators should adopt effective responsible gambling strategies for their events and promote them. 

The range of initiatives that help prevent problem gambling and eliminate the negative impact of gambling addiction is growing incessantly, so the analysis of their success rate, a constant search for new approaches, and their implementation are crucial.