By Damian Martinez, journalist at G&M News.
Almost one year ago, you started working at Kindred Group. What are your responsibilities in the role, and how do you evaluate your tasks during this period?
In my capacity of RG Governance Manager, I lead a team of RG Governance Officers, who are experts in their designated markets, ensuring full adherence to regulatorily requirements and compliance, maintaining a localized strategy, while internally focusing on installing best practices and quality of processes and policies. I also work closely with the Head of Responsible Gaming to continue the innovation, improvement, and efficiency of Kindred’s Responsible Gambling goals. This includes focusing on our strategy, systems, RG tools and customer protection endeavors, as well as collaboration with external stakeholders. The first year was quite challenging, yet a very exciting one. I’m looking forward to continuing our focus on ensuring that customers enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable way. This includes educating customers and our stakeholders on responsible gambling practices, as well as fulfilling compliance expectations in all our markets.
With over six years working in positions related to RG, what does the concept “responsible gaming” mean to you personally?
From a personal perspective, Responsible Gambling represents a fundamental pillar of our industry. It’s essential for ensuring a long-term business, sustainability and success. Prioritizing our customers’ well-being is not just a regulatory requirement, but a core value that should be at the heart of every operator’s business model.
Major football tournaments, like Euro 2024 and the America’s Cup 2024, provides companies an opportunity to demonstrate their responsible gambling initiatives on a large scale. Could you tell us more about Kindred Group’s ‘Journey Towards Zero’ initiative? What technologies does it involve?
Kindred Group’s “Journey Towards Zero” initiative is an effort aimed at eliminating revenue from harmful gambling. This goal underscores our commitment to making gambling 100% enjoyable and ensuring a safe and responsible gambling environment for all our customers. Key aspects of “Journey Towards Zero” includes combining technologies, such as PS-EDS detection and Automated Interventions, with a strong commitment to transparency, collaboration, and enhanced control tools that reduce revenue from harmful gambling and ensure a safe environment. Big sporting events, such as Euro 2024, provide a significant platform for Kindred Group to highlight our commitment to responsible gambling through the “Journey Towards Zero” initiative. Our technologies, combined with a collaborative and transparent approach, help us meet regulatory requirements and safeguard our customers.
What other actions Kindred Group carried out during the first half of 2024 to promote RG?
In the first half of 2024, Kindred Group advanced our responsible gambling efforts by strengthening our detection system, expanding automated interventions to all of our markets, and enhancing our compliance frameworks. We also improved customer education and RG tools.
A few months ago, the company’s Paris office hosted an educational session on Responsible Gambling. What were the main topics and conclusions of the event?
The educational session on Responsible Gambling hosted by our Paris office covered several key topics, including a deeper understanding of problem gambling, predictive factors, and the vulnerability of the younger population. Led by the NGO Arpej and by the ANJ, the interactive session provided valuable insights into early warning signs and addiction. The main conclusion was that face-to-face interactions with experts are crucial for deepening our understanding and strengthening our internal culture of safer gambling.
How can the gaming industry as a whole enhance its RG commitment?
I think the gaming industry can enhance RG by standardizing best practices across all operators, fostering better collaboration and transparency within the sector, and leveraging advanced technologies for monitoring and intervention. Increasing customer education and awareness, and investing in ongoing research are other key factors and will further support effective harm prevention.
What are the company’s plans for the second half of the year?
For the second half of the year, we plan to further optimize the way we detect markers of harm, improve our RG measures, and strengthen partnerships and internal collaboration to align with evolving regulations, also enhancing customer protection.