In an industry where there is often stigma attached to our product, and a critical eye over the way we market, it’s essential that we ensure we are hitting the mark when it comes to our responsible gambling messaging. Operators can trailblaze this as the entities with the biggest brand exposure when it comes to mainstream marketing channels and media, which as a by-product will help the overall reputation of the iGaming sector and our mission to protect our players.
But is it as easy as it sounds? When we integrate responsible gambling messaging, there are a lot of considerations outside the regulations and stipulations outlined by governing bodies, there’s the overall sentiment and authenticity of the messaging needed in order for it to resonate with people. How do we do that? How do we ensure that it’s not viewed as just a lip-service tactic and instead part of who we are as an operator? Here are some actionable pieces of advice as to how operators can seamlessly integrate responsible gambling messaging into their marketing strategy.
Have the Right Responsible Gambling Tools in Place
You need to have responsible gambling as a core part of your brand for it to be truly authentic. Make sure that you have the correct tools in place that will allow your players to protect themselves from harmful gambling first and foremost.
There are the fundamentals such as deposit limits, reality checks and self-exclusion functionalities, but the brands that will really stand out are those that go the extra mile. We have evolved as an industry where we now have the technology to detect at-risk and problem gambling to prevent any potentially problematic behaviour from escalating, and it’s critical that operators take these on board and provide the safest experience to their players.
Educate and Inform
The education piece surrounding responsible gambling is an important part of the overall process. Having the 18+ icons, and basic requirements that are legislatively required isn’t quite enough.
Operators need to go above and beyond the bare minimum and create valuable content that players will resonate with. People digest content in different ways, make sure you are able to reach the masses. The idea is to take a proactive, preventative approach, rather than reactive with the messaging and ensure it’s available not only onsite, but on your digital marketing channels.
Include the Vision in all of your Marketing Content
Once you have solidified the fundamentals of your responsible gambling initiative, make this part and parcel of all of your communications. This isn’t just the wording of content, but the relationships you build as part of your brand building strategy. Whether it’s part of an overall CSR, or community focus, all of this needs to be fully aligned with your responsible gambling mission and integrated seamlessly.
Who is Doing it Well and What can we Learn from it?
There are many operators who are carving out great plans when it comes to responsible gambling messaging, however Kindred Group definitely stands out in terms of their commitment to have responsible gambling as part of their core values as a business. It’s not a marketing ploy, it’s a deep seated mission within their organisation which shines through.
They have been exceptionally vocal about the need for transparency and are leading by example. They are on a zero % mission which has been the overarching theme of their messaging, with a target of zero revenue from harmful gambling. They track the progress of this on a quarterly basis, and publish the findings to the general public. Below is an example of their reporting metrics and progress:
They have supplemented this with amplifying this message across all of their marketing efforts. If we take their front-of-shirt sponsorship with Rangers F.C as an example. They have recently announced an extension of their partnership with the football club which will span 10 years, and they are the first operator to have a responsible gambling message as part of a front-of-shirt message.
They are also very closely aligned with the clubs community efforts, and fund the charity foundations delivery of “Team Talks” which is a mens’ mental health initiative. There is an authenticity behind their content as they are doing all of the groundwork around it. It’s a perfect example as to how an operator can promote responsible gambling well.
Key Takeaways
If you are a new entrant to the market, or an established operator looking to get responsible gambling right, here are the key takeaways:
- Create your responsible gambling vision and mission for your brand
- Get the appropriate foundations in place in terms of safer gambling tools
- Educate your players in a proactive manner onsite, and on digital channels
- Be consistent with your responsible gambling messaging
- Have it at the forefront of your mind when creating and nurturing any partnerships
