Report finds three in four European iGaming players use safer gambling tools

The vast majority of players at some of the most prominent iGaming operators in Europe are reportedly engaging with safer gambling tools, as the companies step up their efforts to support and promote safer gambling.

According to the first-ever annual Sustainability Report by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), 75 per cent of customers at the association’s member companies had at least one safer gambling tool activated on their accounts in 2020, up from 61 per cent in 2019.

Breaking down the type of tool utilised by customers, the EGBA found the most commonly used voluntary tool was a deposit limit, which 22 per cent of customers used. The next most commonly used tool were time limits/ reality checks, which five per cent of customers used.

An additional five per cent of customers used self-exclusions of various time periods and one per cent were reported to have used product blocks during the year in question.

A total of 2.8 million personalised communications were sent to customers about their individual gambling behaviour with the aim of promoting safer gambling, representing a dramatic increase of 133 per cent compared to the 1.2 million personalised communications sent in 2019.

These personalised communications could include email, phone call/SMS, chat, or pop-up interactions, as well as any other safer gambling communications which were personalised or targeted towards a specific customer based on individual gambling behaviour.

In addition, 14.2 million generic communication were sent to customers to promote safer gambling, referring to email, SMS or other generic gambling communications sent directly to customers irrespective of their individual gambling behaviour.

In comments accompanying the report, which can be accessed online, EGBA secretary general Maarten Haijer explained how the EGBA is committed to “lead from the front” on safer gambling and stated the report was part of its drive to be “accountable and transparent” about its activities.

“The personal commitment of the CEOs to achieve these objectives is vital and welcomed”, he added, discussing the survey’s results.

“It is very encouraging to see that our members are already putting their commitment into action through the greater deployment of safer gambling tools and by communicating more than ever before to their customers about safer gambling, and in an increasingly personalised and targeted way.”

The report covered the online gambling operations of EGBA member companies across the EU and in the UK – including Betsson Group, Entain, Kindred Group and William Hill.

Also addressing the iGaming industry’s support of the sports sector in the EU, the EGBA explained its member companies made €408 million in voluntary contributions to European sports through sponsorships and sports streaming rights payments – a 20 per cent increase when compared to 2019.