This company will use AI to identify problem gamblers online
Entain says it will use big data to try to identify problem gamblers, in response to an impending regulatory crackdown on the digital betting industry, which has been fueled by lockdowns during the pandemic.
The UK company, which owns brands like Ladbrokes, will use experts in data science and psychology to report online gamers behaving erratically. This will allow the company to turn off riskier features or connect players to customer service before their bets can harm them. The Advanced Protection & Care, or ARC, system will be rolled out from the UK around mid-year.
This product in all respects is sort of self-adjusting by slowing down the offerings, so the player still enjoys the thrill, COO Sandeep Tiku said. It’s almost like you’re in a car and have a very sophisticated braking system.
Online betting has skyrocketed under coronavirus lockdowns, attracting regulatory scrutiny. UK lawmakers are weighing crackdowns like advertising bans and limits on online stakes. Companies are under pressure from activists who say the industry is hurting people and profiting from its most addicting products.
The game is also seeing a wave of corporate consolidation as companies merge to take more ownership of the fast growing US market. Entain, formerly GVC, recently rejected an approach from MGM Resorts International. The UK company’s net online gaming revenue grew 27% during the 2020 calendar.
Tiku said the CRA will personalize customer profiles and identify when intervention may be needed. He hopes it will eventually be shared with other companies in one form or another. Entain has received comments from academics in the UK and Germany. Developers and data scientists will continually be contributing to ARC, even as parts of the business are working to make games more engaging.
“Our principle of thrill has changed now,” said Tiku, who will join the Entain board later this year. The company will be developing and marketing games less about gamers who play a lot, and more about gamers who play for fun.
