How GiG’s real-time data platform can be used to combat problem gambling

GiG’s real-time data platform has recently incorporated responsible gambling features to allow operators to better pre-empt and act on problem gambling.

This new service will notify operators immediately if a user is expressing patterns of problem gambling using machine-learning, according to GiG’s Director of Data, Stephen Borg.

“Machine learning on top of a streaming foundation is what enables predictability when it matters”, allowing operators to access fresh information and provide insights when it matters most, he told iGamingBusiness.com.

After all, “it’s no use knowing that a customer is displaying signs of problem gambling a day after the event had already taken place”.

With regards to the specific actions to be taken, Mr Borg said that this will depend on the situation and the partner’s individual approach. They could opt to send automated communications to the user, or take another action, depending on the operators’ processes and the requirements of the relevant regulators. 

By doing so, the platform helps customers feel supported and allows operators to maintain a customer-centric approach. In the long term, it could also help operators avoid penalties, and possibly even license suspensions.

Discussing the implemention of GiG’s real-time data platform, Mr Borg identified that its overarching aim was to make a single product to be used across an entire organisation.

“Rather than going into multiple systems, we wanted to create a single portal where both tech and non-tech people can access data in a simple way”, he reflected.

With insights that are accessible to different team members, there is therefore more scope for a shared understanding of data within an operator’s business, he said.

When producing their platform, GiG also had to conduct extensive research to align the features of the platform with the different objectives of its users, because it “was very important that the entire team had the same mindset and understood what we were trying to build”, Mr Borg elaborated.

“It isn’t a case of one-size-fits-all, but rather, we had a screen for everyone – executives, finance, acquisition and retention professionals, marketing – and worked to create an engaging exercise that helps to align the features with their different objectives”, he expanded

It was also important that the platform would be built to be flexible, so it could be tailored to operators’ specific data needs.

While the latest addition to the platform was responsible gambling, player safety is just one of the features GiG plans to incorporate into the platform in the future, and according to Mr Borg, GiG is planning to expand its features with a focus on AML.

“It’s important for us to help our partners succeed with our technology. Predictability is essential on the data front, and equally in what we can provide to our partners. We believe in the technology and our priority is working to meet all of our partners’ data needs”, he added.