Flutter Entertainment has revealed it will become the first gambling operator in the UK to link employee payments with its new global responsible gambling initiative, called Play Well.
The measure that is using a holistic approach across all of the gambling operator’s brands to tackle harmful and dangerous gambling behaviour. As part of the initiative, players will be able to use information, tools and support enabling a positive, entertaining and safe experience so that the negative effect on customers is minimised as much as possible.
As revealed in an interview for Sports Shield by the Director of Risk and Safer Gambling for the Irish gambling operator, Luke Sugden, the company’s Play Well initiative hopes to see more than 50% of Flutter Entertainment’s customers using responsible gambling tools by 2026 and over 75% by 2030. As outlined in the preliminary annual financial results presentation of the gambling group, this could be achieved, considering the fact that Flutter Entertainment has given itself between 4 and 7 years to reach the aforementioned target.
A spokesperson for Flutter Entertainment shared with Sports Shield that the Irish gambling company is introducing the tailored metrics of its Play Well initiative across its global operations, with the metrics being directly linked to colleague remuneration.
The Irish Gambling Group Rolls Out Play Well Initiative Across Its Global Businesses
As the Irish gambling giant’s spokesperson also noted, the metrics in question had been developed on a divisional basis to make sure that each of the group’s business verticals remains focused not only on generating profit but also on the initiatives that promote safer and responsible gambling to local customers. The specifics and contexts of the individual markets are to be taken into account in order for these objectives of the Play Well initiative to be met, whilst keeping consistency with the company’s principles on a global scale.
As the company itself noted, its new responsible gambling strategy offers a completely different approach to tackling problem gambling, as it aims at making responsible gambling a top priority of every one of its employees by binding Play Well metrics with their remuneration.
This is the first time a gambling operator has tied its responsible gambling strategy goals to its employees’ pay. So far, the incentive has been one of a king in the UK gambling industry, as the operator encourages its employees to work hard to get players to use Flutter Entertainment’s responsible gambling tools and get monetary rewards if the company manages to reach its goals.
The Irish gambling group has outlined its global principles that have been used as the basis of positive change – build on the success the company already has; take advantage of global skill, capabilities and insight; empower local teams to adapt to the contexts of each local market and make sure local initiatives are delivered with maximum impact. Last year, the UK and Ireland division of the company rolled out a number of new responsible gambling measures, including:
- Early credit checks on new customers with limited financial capabilities
- Financial vulnerability checks and risk and age-based limits applied
- Financial vulnerability checks by using third-party agencies
- Age-based deposit limits and spend checks
- Mandatory deposit limit tribal for players under the age of 25
- Daily deposit limits
- No auto-spin features on casino products
- Online slots stake limits
- Product changes aimed at improving the safer gambling experience
- Artificial Intelligence technology used to monitor more than 250 gambler behaviours
Flutter Entertainment said it hopes that its Play Well initiative will help it improve the lives of 10 million people by 2030.
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Olivia Cole
