Leading sports betting and online gaming entertainment giant Entain has confirmed that intends to extend the scope of cooperation with external partners to further increase player protection. Via the not-for-profit Entain Foundation, the company wants to build on the knowledge gained through partnerships in the United States in order to provide help for video-gaming and e-sports players at risk of harm in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Efforts with regards to responsible gambling, sports integrity, and gambling regulation research, education as well as treatment represents one of the four key areas of the global Entain Foundation, which was launched in September 2019. To gain further insight, it has since entered various collaborations with SportsAid, EPIC Risk Management, Gordon Moody, the US National Council on Problem Gambling, and the Division on Addiction of Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital.
Grainne Hurst, Director of Safer Gaming and Regulation at Entain said: “Our business is all about understanding and meeting the needs of customers, which means offering the most entertaining experiences whilst doing everything we can to protect them. At the core of our approach to sustainability is our belief that delivering the highest possible levels of player safety and protection is the best way to guarantee our long-term success.”
The company has now announced two initiatives geared towards the expansion of its efforts to educate and support people enjoying a wide range of interactive entertainment in the UK and Europe.
In cooperation with Game Quitters, a support community for victims of gaming disorder, Entain will launch the “Mind Your Game” campaign in the UK. The initiative was developed with additional support from US-based research facility Kindbridge, which has specialized in an evidence-based teletherapy model for gambling and gaming disorders. Entain will be sponsoring a dedicated social media educational campaign aimed to raise awareness of potential addiction.
“We are committed to supporting initiatives that encourage responsible gambling and gaming. That’s why we’ve chosen to partner with Game Quitters and Kindbridge on the ‘Mind Your Game’ video campaign. Encouraging our players to actively manage their mental health is precisely the type of project we are proud to support,” Martin Lycka, Trustee of Entain Foundation US, stated in the Kindbridge news release on May 24, 2021.
The collaboration of the three brands has produced a series of four educational videos on YouTube: Skin Gambling, Esports Betting, Spot the Problem and Seek Help. These videos highlight specific issues to be aware of, guidance to reduce potential harm, and advice on how to find support for vulnerable esports gamers and their families.
Kindbridge has also recently partnered with another lead operator in the online gambling industry to boost their efforts further. Playtech has granted financial support for the Kindbridge Research Institute to establish a ground-breaking evidence-based teletherapy model for gambling and gaming disorders.
The second planned initiative by Entain is channeled towards providing education and support for people at risk of online addiction and gaming disorder in the videogaming and interactive entertainment industry. They have partnered up with the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association and build on the already established collaboration with the international consultancy firm EPIC Risk Management.
As one of the industry’s leading operators, Entain has taken several steps to implement sophisticated measures to protect its customers. They have launched the Advanced Responsibility & Care (“ARC”) programme and plan on using available technology to take the lead on responsible gambling.
In November 2020, the Entain Group launched a new Sustainability Charter with four cornerstones. One of them is centered around responsible gaming, which the company sees as the “best way of guaranteeing long-term success” within the industry. The Group has committed to donating £100 million through its Entain Foundation to educational and support projects.
The first two dedicated campaigns have now been revealed and further ones are expected to be announced in the near future.
