Entain Foundation US, a non-profit subsidiary of BetMGM’s co-parent Entain, has launched a free app designed to help and support people with potential gambling problems. The parent company said its “Gamble Responsibly America” app is the first of its kind in the US.
Entain said it co-developed the app with EPIC Risk Management and RG24seven, both of which have partnered with Entain Foundation US to promote responsible gambling in the US. The app is currently available for download from the Apple App and Google Play stores and is available in English and Spanish.
There are no registration requirements and the app is unbranded; the company said the app is purely for educational purposes only and provides no commercial benefit to Entain, which owns a 50% stake of BetMGM.
Gamble Responsibly America includes several features, including limits on deposits, time-out allotments and a self-assessment quiz. Users also have access to a gambling diary and a list of behaviors that could indicate a gambling problem. The app also includes a connection to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) 24/7 live chatline and a comprehensive list where users can find additional information and assistance.
“We are determined to continue helping individuals by providing the resources and programs necessary to ensure everyone is betting and gaming responsibly,” said Martin Lycka, senior vice president for US Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain.
Entain Foundation US’s other responsible gambling partners include the NCPG, Kindbridge, the National Football League Players Association, Seton Hall Law School and the UNLV International Gaming Institute. Cambridge Health Alliance’s (CHA) Division on Addition, which works with Harvard Medical School’s Teaching Hospital, is also an Entain Foundation US partner.
Prior to the app’s launch, Entain has been involved in several initiatives to support responsible gambling. In 2019, Entain, then known as GVC Holdings entered into a five-year research collaborative on gambling and gambling-related disorders with CHA.
BetMGM followed up by announcing in November 2020 that it would integrate PlayPause, a responsible gaming tool designed to connect self-exclusion databases across multiple states, into its gaming apps. PlayPause was developed by Conscious Gaming, a non-profit philanthropic unit of GeoComply. As of Mat 2021 BetMGM became the first online gaming operator in the US to implement the responsible gaming program known as GameSense across its platforms.
In January 2020, Entain Foundation US partnered with EPIC to launch a player education initiative on sports betting with professional sports leagues and colleges across the US. The next month, the subsidiary partnered with EPIC, Kindbridge, the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association and Rise Above the Disorder to support responsible gambling initiatives for online gaming and sports betting.
Last March, the subsidiary joined a series of responsible gambling initiatives, including promotion of the eighth annual Gambling Disorder Screening Day with HMS, obtaining platinum membership with the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, and supporting a US survey of individuals with gambling-related disorders. The survey was done in tandem with EPIC, Kindbridge and the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services (NAADGS), an organization formerly known as the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators (APGSA).
The subsidiary also partnered with the NCPG and RG24seven for the May launch of Operation Responsible Gambling, an initiative designed to support responsible gambling among members of the military community and to provide educational tools and services.
