There is no doubt that online gambling in the country has been growing at an incredibly alarming rate, especially since sports betting was legalized. As a result, the American Gaming Association believes that the industry’s focus on responsibility should only grow as expansion continues.
As such, policymakers and regulators have been taking note and have been ensuring that the proper provisions and regulations are in place to support punters in the country. Although the country’s gambling market is relatively newer compared to other more mature markets in the UK and Australia for instance, there is still a considerable gap between the high levels of gambling harm and the provision of assistance.
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Leagues and operators working hard to create a safe gambling environment
Not too long ago, Major League Baseball and the AGA entered into a strategic partnership with the American Gaming Association’s ‘Have A Game Plan. As a strategic partner, the league will broadcast responsible gaming announcements across various MLB events and broadcasts, as well as through the available digital media channels.
MLB will begin distributing the responsible sports betting PSAs at the start of the 2022 postseason. As part of this collaboration, the league will also extend the ‘Have A Game Plan’ campaign to all its 30 teams. In turn, the AGA will supply the league with counsel and expertise to grow and strengthen responsible gambling knowledge among lovers of Major League Baseball and soon-to-be punters.
As the sports betting and iGaming markets continue to expand at a rapid rate, responsible gambling education enabled bettors to make better decisions regarding their participation in gambling. In instances where harm has taken place as a result of gambling, there should also be tools and resources available to assist victims and family members that have been negatively impacted.
Flutter-operated FanDuel also recently announced an array of responsible gambling initiatives designed to coincide with AGA’s responsible gambling education month. To ensure that its staff members were on board, FanDuel organized the Play Well Day. The event was organized exclusively for FanDuel staff members who play a major role in creating a culture that embraces safe gambling.
It was during the Play Well Day that FanDuel announced MMA artist and wrestle Amanda Serrano as its brand-new responsible gambling ambassador. Serrano and FanDuel have had a longstanding professional relationship as FanDuel has sponsored several of her fights. As the new responsible gambling ambassador, Serrano will film several PSAs for FanDuel customers in both English and Spanish.
In addition, FanDuel also revealed that it had extended its contract with its first responsible gambling ambassador Craig Carton. In his first year as the responsible gambling ambassador, Craig was primarily involved in training and identifying new ways to better protect punters via advocacy. Moving forward, Craig will share his experiences as a gambler with various campuses during his ‘FanDuel and Craig Carton College Tour’.
Both brand ambassadors will play a crucial role in consulting FanDuel about its responsible gambling efforts. The brand ambassadors will also create content to encourage punters to gamble within their budgets. The team will also work to promote the widespread adoption of FanDuel’s responsible gambling tools, which cover limit, deposit, and time technology.
As part of its responsible gambling education month, FanDuel has also pledged to donate $100,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming. The International Center for Responsible Gaming was created to conduct research that helps to understand gambling behavior. The research carried out by the ICRG makes it easier to identify potential harm so that risk can be mitigated while also creating and improving responsible gambling programs.
Responsible gambling is a comprehensive concept that is made up of various policies and requirements that apply to both stakeholders and punters. These policies and requirements were created to ensure the highest standards of quality and a safe user experience that safeguards punters from the potential side effects of online betting.
Gambling ought to be a fun pastime or hobby and not a means of gaining wealth. While the majority of the country’s punters do treat betting as recreation and only spend money they can afford to lose. For a small number of the population, gambling is a lot trickier and more complex than that.
That’s why the American Gambling Association requires operators and software suppliers that manage and operate online casinos to comply with the principles of responsible betting. Furthermore, these providers are required to comply with an array of technical and legislative demands.
In general, iGaming operators are required to concentrate on several broad areas including the protection of vulnerable bettors, as well as underage gambling. Operators are also required to create safety measures against criminal operations. Operators are also legally required to create a secure online environment where players’ information is protected at all times.
Among the primary measures that have been imposed by most online casinos in the industry, perhaps the most widespread is self-exclusion programs. Some online casinos also impose limits on the amount of cash and time that gamblers can spend on their sites. The US is just starting to enforce its responsible gambling measures.
However, some others have been enforcing responsible gambling programs and tools for decades. For instance, the UK faces one of the most severe gambling addiction problems in the world. A study conducted by the GambleAware charity found that close to 1.4 million people in Britain suffered from problem gambling.
The study by GambleAware found that lack of awareness as well as the stigma surrounding gambling problems were some of the biggest barriers to accessing support and assistance. While women are typically less prone to developing betting disorders, male gamblers are more likely to suffer from betting addiction. The good news is that policymakers in the UK have never tired of dealing with the problem and are constantly integrating tools and programs to keep punters safe.
Final Thoughts
Gambling operators continue with their efforts to promote responsible gambling, which is great news for both the punters and the growing industry. The strides being made now to generate awareness of safer play are crucial for the advancement of responsible gambling practices today and in the future.
