AI. It’s the word on everyone’s lips. “What are you using that ChatGPT AI for?” “What’s your favorite Midjourney AI image you’ve created?” Thanks to the explosion of commercially available machine learning solutions, every man and his dog is exploring the wonders of AI tools for just about everything in their lives.
But can AI be the answer to the responsible gambling issue that’s happening worldwide? If we take a look at innovators in the space, you’ll find that the answer is a resounding “YES.”
If we really consider it, AI is the answer to just about anything. So why not responsible gambling? AI is the way forward for responsible gambling, whether operators want to jump on the bandwagon or not.
AI is already present in gambling
If you thought that AI wasn’t already embedded in gambling activities, then you’d be wrong. While it’s not embedded in the games themselves, since they are subject to strict regulations, it’s certainly a factor in marketing for online casinos and sports books.
Just like Instagram shows you ads that are relevant to your interests, gambling operators can gauge which games and deals you’d be most interested in, and present them to you when you log into their site. This type of personalization is becoming more and more prevalent across industries, to drive further sales. And, let’s be honest, it’s better as a consumer to be shown ads for things you might be interested in rather than things that spark zero interest.
AI is involved in the deep understanding of customer behaviors to decide what to do next in terms of marketing, pricing, new product lines, customer acquisition and retention, and much, much more.
But just like AI can be used to benefit operators in their endeavors, it can also be used in player protection activities.
The current state of responsible gambling
Responsible gambling, as an industry focus, really depends on a player’s worldwide location and the types of services they frequent. With the explosion in online gambling websites that are offered by operators from far-flung countries, people can access these services relatively easily – even if online gambling is not legal within their own country or is a legal gray area. When this is the case, the government and charity-type services may not have very much, if any, funding for responsible gambling initiatives beyond what is offered in land-based establishments, like physical self-exclusion at a casino.
This lack of focus and funding means that there isn’t many responsible gambling initiatives beyond what an online provider themselves may implement. And if you put that into perspective, why would an online provider build in responsible gambling mechanisms if they didn’t have to? They would generate more revenues without these mechanisms.
In such instances, it’s up to the players to try and put in place their own mechanisms to gamble responsibly, like setting countdown times for gambling sessions, only depositing a certain amount a week, etc.
In cases where gambling industries are highly regulated and thriving, like in the UK, it’s a different story. Gambling operators are required to implement responsible gambling mechanisms by law. These may include deposit limits, restrictions on advertising, limits on the speed of gameplay, including responsible gambling messaging in communications, etc. In these cases, responsible gambling is everyone’s responsibility; government, providers, and players.
In highly regulated gambling markets, responsible gambling AI can be tools used by both operators and players. In unregulated markets, it’s up to players to hunt AI tools to use for their own benefit.
AI in responsible gambling
There are already several players in the responsible gambling AI space, and there are bound to be countless more in the future as more and more countries and states seek to further regulate online gambling. Here are just a few companies focused on this new technology.
mindway AI
mindway AI is a Denmark-based business that grew out of a project at Aarhus University. The focus? On using a combination of neuroscience and AI to offer better player protections. The company offers two different solutions at present. Gamescanner is a software solution that sits inside operators’ systems and helps with early detection of at-risk and problem gambling. The system sends alerts to both the operator and the customer in these cases. The Gamalyze software is a gamified self-test that allows players to check their risk profile in a more comprehensive and interesting way than legacy solutions.
SEON
While SEON’s main business line is AI-powered fraud protection, they have also developed a self-exclusion product for the gambling industry. In fraud spotting activities, the same types of transactions arise that can be translated to the gambling industry. This type of solution is a good fit for operators that are looking for both anti-fraud software as well as a self-exclusion program at the same time, thanks to the integration of both features.
ComplyRadar
ComplyRadar is another fraud-focused company that also offers a responsible gambling module for operators who are looking to provide a better, more compliant service to their customers. Their solution is a complex rules engine that alerts operators on early detection of problem gambling activities among players, in real-time. The company prides itself in a low number of false positives, which means less work for operators.
The responsible gambling solutions industry will only grow
With record new revenues in the online gambling space, alongside newly regulated and evolving markets, there will be more opportunities for AI companies that focus on responsible gambling technologies. With this influx of funds and opportunity, those who are quick to act and smart about their product suites stand to make a significant amount of revenue themselves. While it’s still early days for AI in responsible gambling, and there aren’t a huge number of solutions providers out there, you can expect to see a whole lot more happening in this space in the years to come.
