Responsible Gaming Campaigns are an important aspect of the gambling industry particularly because they keep the industry in check. As much as possible, every casino operator strives to run their own initiative that will not only ensure the sanity of their players but also empower the community on how to plan their finances as far as gambling is concerned. For a Responsible Gaming Campaign to have a desirable outcome, it is important to use the right tools in its preparation.
For the likes of DraftKings, this has taken the form of celebrity appearances on the campaign. Fans of the world-renowned WWE will identify with The Miz; he is now one of the new faces that stand for responsible Gaming at DraftKings. The other famous character that the sportsbook operator is working with at this time is skateboarding superstar Tony Hawk. People tend to listen to individuals they admire and that is what the enlisting of celebrities is supposed to achieve.
The current Responsible Gaming Campaign by DraftKings has been named, “Practice Safe Bets project,” a concept of the creative and media arm of DraftKings, VaynerMedia. September has been earmarked as the month during which the campaign will be launching and with this, it is expected that the success stories on responsible gambling will increase. The timing of the initiative also coincides with the first Responsible Gaming Education Month sponsored by the American Gaming Association.
As part of the campaign, two commercials will be aired; each of them will have a different celebrity to bring out the message of the campaign. As has been the message of Responsible Gaming Initiatives in the past, the core message of the promotions will be an emphasize on the value of Responsible Gaming as a result of boundaries setting and utilization of resources provided on the operators` platforms.
To reach out to as many people as possible, the advertisements have been scheduled to not only run on TV and Radio markets around the country, but also on all DraftKings’ social media networks. To measure the value of the message of the campaign, it is important for the operator to have systems that will pick out hits and misses they have achieved. DraftKings has organized for the creation of a free-to-play pool of qualified players through which they will test the level of understanding regarding the main message.
Even though there is no time limit as to how long the campaign is going to last, the free play pool will be available throughout the Responsible Gaming Education Month. The results collected from this initiative will be channeled into the online Safer Play Portal which is owned and managed by DraftKings. This is valuable data not only to DraftKings but other casino providers that are eager to impact the gambling community positively through enhancing Responsible Gaming.
Speaking on the value of Responsible Gaming to the entire industry, the chief marketing officer at DraftKings, Stephanie Sherman, emphasized that all betting activities are designed to offer fun and entertainment. Problem Gambling is an unintended outcome of the process and that explains why many stakeholders have come out to address it. According to Sherman, advertisement materials in support of Responsible Gaming are meant to engage gaming enthusiasts in an instructive and fun manner.
By choosing Tony Hawks and Miz to be part of this campaigner, the operator believes that a large proportion of their target audience will be reached. The selection of these two personalities was based on the size of traffic they have on social media platforms. In addition to that, the campaign organizers zeroed in on the two because of their strong personalities – they have a high chance of capturing people’s attention even when they are fixated on something else.
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DraftKings Involvement in Responsible Gaming
In July 2022, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) signed a deal with the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH) that would see to the successful organization of the 2022 National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling. This was the 36th time that the event was taking place and a total of 600 individuals were in attendance. Among the attendees who discussed the approaches to problem gambling in the future, were representatives from industry stakeholders, advocates of responsible gambling and members of organizations dealing with gambling addiction prevention, empowerment, and treatment.
One of the main sponsors for this event was the gaming operator, DraftKings who had prepared a video that they used to thank the NCPG for staying committed to the battle against problem gambling. DraftKings commended the organization for having gotten to its 50th year in business and recognized its contribution to the cause of responsible gaming. According to the senior director responsible for gaming at DraftKings, Christine Thurmond, the NCPG is the leading authority in the United States on matters concerning advocating, preventing, educating, treating, recovery, and information verification on the harms of gambling.
Senior responsible gaming manager at DraftKings, Julie Hynes, assured the public that the impact of the NCPG would continue to be felt. The guidance and leadership provided by this organization is invaluable in promoting responsible gaming. Since the benefits of the NCPB have been tangible, DraftKings executives wish that the council will serve an additional 50 years advocating for the protection of players.
Final Thoughts
We all know of someone who has been affected by problem gambling; it is an addiction like all others. Problem gambling is not just an individual issue but affects hundreds of people who associate with and depend on the affected individual. Most people are not even aware that they are on the verge of falling into problem gambling until they are addressed on the matter. This is why it is important to involve celebrities in this campaign; people love to listen to them and their message is likely to be taken seriously.
