SBC: Can you use safer gambling as a USP?
Day two at SBC Lisbon sees a panel explore safer gambling and its effect on the bottom line.
This Lisbon panel brings together top industry figures – Dr. Alexandra Körner, Marcel Prioteasa, Eduards Jakubovs, Thodoris Tasellari and Lisa Corti – with Peter Marcus moderating the debate.
Marcus opens on the subject of battling internal commercial departments’ budget distribution for player protection – a statement which receives a chorus of nods from the panel and audience alike.
Körner states that she thinks it’s about how to pick the ‘right’ approach to RG, finding the balance between adhering to regulations whilst adding to the bottom line, stating that at Grand Casino they take the approach of getting in touch with players almost immediately, teaching them how to utilise safety tools as soon as they enter casinos – as they often wouldn’t know they were there otherwise. She also adds that this happens because, in Switzerland, it’s demanded by regulation that players are connected with safety tools early on in their interactions.
The panel unanimously agrees that early education is the way forward, with Corti stating that at BV Group, tools such as sign-up emails for safety tools and related early contact initiatives help to provide players with the necessary tools to prevent issues from occurring further down the line.
NetBet CEO Marcel Prioteasa suggests that RG tools don’t provide many ‘choices’ for players, so flexible tools are certainly the way forward with regard to innovation. He also specifies that he believes RG can absolutely help the bottom line with regard to contributing to a thriving business that is profitable and safe. However, the difficulty is being enabled to strive towards this goal whilst remaining compliant with a diverse set of global regulations.
Naturally, the black market subject inevitably arises, with Marcus underscoring the question of unregulated proliferation. Körner highlights that in the Swiss market, the black market could account for 50% of the market total. However, she believes that – although the black market is a massive problem – it is no excuse to no longer work within regulations and to strive for a better environment.
Corti explains that often, when players leave for the black market, they don’t come back. She goes on to conclude that all of these issues could further be tackled by contacting players early, subsequently trying to prevent players from having to self-exclude in the first instance.
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