According to a recent study by the American Gaming Association, nearly $472 million is being invested annually into responsible gambling resources and initiatives.
Commitment to Responsibility
Stakeholders in the domestic gaming market are serious about responsible gambling, and according to a study commissioned by the American Gaming Association (AGA), that commitment is backed by big money donations coming from the industry itself.
Joe Maloney, AGA’s senior vice president of strategic communications, noted the findings of the study illustrate the U.S. gaming industry’s commitment to the safety and welfare of its players and to those who are most vulnerable.
“Beyond the considerable taxes gaming companies contribute to fund responsible gaming and problem gambling resources, the industry also proactively invests hundreds of millions of dollars more to ensure our customers have the tools, knowledge, and safeguards to play responsibly,” said Maloney of the findings.
According to the report, a staggering $471.8 million was invested by the gaming industry into responsible gambling resources, a 72% increase from the $275 million the industry spent in 2017. As mobile sports betting continues to grow in popularity, the resources demanded by programs designed to help those adversely impacted by it need financial support, and the industry has responded.
September has been chosen as Responsible Gaming Education Month (RGEM), and members of New York’s Responsible Play Partnership (RPP) have taken this time to renew their commitment to working with online sports betting operators to foster safe and informed gambling choices.
The responsible gambling resources getting the most financial attention are as follows:
- Customer service interactions: $135.4 million
- Developing and maintaining responsible gaming programs: $122.4 million
- Consumer-facing responsible gaming education: $107.7 million
- Responsible gaming research and other non-profit RG organizations: $31.8 million
- Problem gambling supportive services: $26.1 million
Trusted Voices
Industry leader FanDuel recently launched a new and unique responsible gaming resource called “Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting” as part of its Responsible Gaming Education Month mission statements. The company has partnered with former NBA player Randy Livingston and his wife, sports agent Anita Smith, to bring his difficult battle with sports betting addiction to those who need to hear it.
Livingston said, “Our team works year-round at FanDuel to equip and support our customers to play responsibly. As we mark Problem Gambling Awareness Month, I’m excited to work with a growing roster of partners to expand access to problem gambling support resources.”
The five major tenets of the program are as follows:
- Be conscious about gambling exposure and the importance of modeling.
- Learn about risk factors and get informed.
- Have a conversation. Just like drugs or alcohol, gambling addiction is serious and can have life-threatening consequences.
- Keep an eye out for warning signs. Youths constantly talking about sports betting, seeking to borrow money, behavior changes, and extreme mood swings could be signs of a gambling problem taking hold.
- Establish trust and encourage communication. Encourage them to come forward with any problems.
FanDuel also chose Responsible Gaming Education Month to announce its $1 million donation to Operation HOPE, which will use those funds to expand its Hope Inside program into Kentucky, a market in which FanDuel launched a year ago.
“FanDuel believes in the importance of financial literacy education and how expanding access can promote and empower responsible gaming,” said Alison Kutler, Vice President of Responsible Gaming and Community Impact at FanDuel. “By extending the impact of our Operation HOPE partnership to Kentucky, we are able to help fund access to financial counseling across the state and reinforce our commitment to giving back to the communities in which we operate.”
