Is Everybody Listening?: Echo chambers, regulation, and customer-centric social responsibility

Even as our lives go back to more normalcy, I feel a new sense of gratitude every time in-person gatherings take place. The opportunity to walk the floors of ICE in London this April reinforced to me just how vibrant the gaming industry is: from productive dialogues with industry peers to conversations with customers and stakeholders, our ecosystem is evolving day by day with the help of cutting-edge technology and genuine dedication.

The UK has made a lot of changes to its gaming bill over the past years. I strongly support evolving policies: in the fast-moving world we live in, it is critical we adjust regulation as the needs of people shift and academic research reach new conclusions. A socially responsible online gaming market is centred around knowing your customer, in order to ensure they are: a) of age, b) are actually the person using the device; c) are the funder of the account and not a fraudster; and d) are having an enjoyable, fair, and supported experience.

The challenge comes, however, when the balance between regulation and industry action tips in favour of a minority. As someone who has been active in the responsible-gaming conversation for more than a decade, I’m deeply aware that addiction takes lives and predatory advertising reinforces deep social harm. However, there must be a balance between protecting the vulnerable and safeguarding adult citizens’ right to enjoy gaming products. The UK’s new Gambling White Paper is certainly well-intentioned and informed, and its approach to reform came from a place of deep-seated social responsibility. However, by prioritizing extreme cases over moderate, effective reform, we just might end up with accidentally excessive restriction and economic damage.

Do we all need to be activists to keep enjoying our hard-earned money freely? As much as it’s important to actively engage with democracy, no busy parent or career professional has the time to constantly monitor every issue in the political landscape. For every loud voice polarizing the discourse, there are many more citizens who simply aren’t able to engage with the debate consistently and rely on legislators to strike civil compromise. It is worrying that some such legislators may be more interested in appealing to rhetoric than considering complex research, new technologies, and examples from other jurisdictions. The US’s own AGA, for example, is preemptively addressing the question of balance: from my meeting with their Board recently I learned that each and every member is eager to advocate for citizens’ right to play as well as innovative responsible gaming measures within the industry, so that there is little need for legislatures to table restrictive measures. Their exemplary leadership has always unified the industry, and I am confident that they will be able to ensure responsibility on all sides.

More than 42 million people, myself included, visit Las Vegas every year and enjoy an adult experience in environments safeguarded by industry experts. In every legal jurisdiction, countless fans place bets on sports on- and off-line. Those who speak at council meetings and attend federal hearings have more influence on politics, but ultimately the numbers don’t lie: millions of people have a healthy relationship with gaming and can enjoy a casual game of poker.

Moreover, the UK gaming market is listening and reacting to public feedback, especially in taking accountability for vulnerable customers and delving into responsible gaming initiatives. When I started my career in gaming 17 years ago, companies had little interest in giving back. Urgent issues like minimizing carbon footprints, ensuring work-life balance for employees, DEI and supporting responsible gaming initiatives were at the bottom of the priority list; at ICE2022, however, I had insightful conversations and dedicated session and panels about climate responsibility and social responsibility has been incredibly heart-warming.?

I always say that we are all only three accidents away from losing everything we have. For a society this means creating systems that support everyone and don’t let the vulnerable fall through the cracks; for businesses, it means committing to transparency around our operations and contributing positively to strong communities with our work. The conversations I had at ICE convinced me that the gaming industry is well on its way to achieving these ideals. Across the Atlantic, the AGA has always steered the conversation on gaming’s future and is leading the way for fair regulatory approaches that give citizens the peace of mind to play. The onus now rests with governments and legislators, who must pay attention to quantifiable changes in the sector. To rely on the loudest voices for political feedback disenfranchises busy citizens and threatens our liberties, which weakens civil society for all.