Better Collective, a leading developer of educational platforms in igaming, and GamCare, the UK’s leading national gambling helpline, have both stressed the importance of responsible gambling.
Representatives from both groups spoke to CasinoBeats to address the current efforts being made to protect gamblers with an addiction, and to prevent problem gambling from increasing in the future.
More than 2 million people are addicted or are at risk of developing a problem according to the Gambling Commission’s reports from August 2017.
Anna Hemmings, CEO at GamCare, believes safer gambling should widely be more spoke about in order to increase awareness. She said: “Collectively, we need to work to make gambling activities as safe as possible.
“This means a mixture of approaches – in the first instance normalising conversations about gambling in society more broadly, as well as helping customers understand the tools which are available to them to help them stay in control of their gambling, providing information about risks in a clear and accessible way, and ensuring that if someone wants to take a break they can step away easily for as long as they want to.”
Adding to Hemmings’ ideas, Philip Lach, Director of Group Brand Sites at Better Collective, spoke to Casino Beats in a separate interview. He proposed plans to class gambling more as entertainment, as opposed to a money maker.
He said: “There’s a large number of things the industry can do to help protect players. One approach is to market casino as a form of entertainment. Inform the players that they’re not primarily in it for the big money but for the entertainment and to treat it the same as another enjoyable experience, such as watching their favourite television programme or going out with friends.
“We’ve already come a long way, with technology helping operators to recognise the signs of those players potentially heading into the danger zone. But there’s always room for improvement as technology and research into problem gambling continue to progress.”
