"Duncan Garvie advocates for a significant shift in discussions concerning responsible gambling"
A Fresh Take on Duncan Garvie's Perspective: Reflections on the Evolution of the Gambling Industry and Responsible Gambling
Meet Duncan Garvie, a hindsight-boasting judge for our website Awards in the RG Tools and ISRI categories - a man who's played a crucial role in the world of responsible gambling advocacy, from the debut of ThePOGG to code-named covert ops with BetBlocker. As the winners gear up for the upcoming ceremony, Garvie takes a moment to reflect on the gambling industry's journey, from its wild and reckless past to a more accountable present, all while knee-deep in the ongoing challenges of making responsible gambling a reality.
Garvie chats about his career in the gambling realm:
Q: Duncan, from your humble beginnings in the sector, you've been a beacon of light - first with the launch of ThePOGG, and more recently through your involvement with BetBlocker. What has changed over the past 13+ years when it comes to player protection, and have companies finally reached a stage where it's fair to say RG has become a bona fide priority?
Garvie: Everything! Back in the day, we were winding down the "Wild West" epoch of the industry. Regulators were fail-proof, gambling operators had minimal oversight, and governments were still scratching their heads, trying to figure out how to handle this new breed. The popularity of ThePOGG was a reaction to this chaos - an answer to the consumer's yearning for someone to stand up to the industry.
Fast forward to now, and things have changed dramatically. Regulated operators are subject to serious oversight and scrutiny. The unregulated sector, on the other hand, has regressed, with reluctant rogues stamping their feet at the thought of regulation while demanding the right to treat consumers however they please.
I don't think we've reached the summit where RG is a priority for companies. Not quite yet. Chat with any top-dog in the field, and you'll hear the same tales - struggles to get their RG department properly resourced, travel for conferences getting denied, recommendations for handling cases being ignored. Despite every company's desire to promote their RG-focused image, there's still a discrepancy between the shiny public image and the internal culture. But hey, huge strides forward have been made! The conversation about protecting players has taken a massive leap forward for the better.
Garvie talks shop:
Q: What do you reckon has propelled recent interest in responsible gambling and social responsibility initiatives? Is it all about ticking boxes or do you believe a growing clan of companies are actually taking the issue head-on?
Garvie: Public and media scrutiny of the sector, along with the real-life repercussions of severe gambling harm, have triggered a change in the social responsibility narrative. The press thrives on scandal, grabbing readers' attention with the most extreme cases of gambling harm, putting pressure on politicians, who then force change through regulators, and finally, the industry.
It's true some of this pressure might have gone too far, but I have my doubts whether the industry has yet reached a point where it champions RG of its own accord. So it's still mostly a box-ticking game out there. That doesn't mean the culture and ethos within the industry aren't evolving. Change is steady, and I believe there's a real desire within businesses to do better than they did at the beginning of the decade.
Garvie dishes on the our website Awards:
Q: The our website Awards laud efforts in responsible gambling and social responsibility. How can awards like these encourage companies to go beyond compliance and genuinely prioritize player well-being?
Garvie: Awards and acclaim for excelling in harm prevention can spark industry engagement with responsible gambling initiatives. The reputational perks of building a trusted and admired brand are substantial. Furthermore, positively reinforcing desirable behaviors (rather than punishing negative ones) is far more effective in shaping long-lasting change.
But for this approach to succeed, awards should be merit-based, not just pay-to-play schemes. Plenty of awards in the sector cater to those ready to hand out cash for publicity - events, tournaments, sponsorships, etc. Especially when it comes to social responsibility, this practice undermines the sector's efforts to evolve. It allows questionable operators to buy their way into the good graces of the press, rather than operators genuinely trying to make things better.
Just like the our website Awards, events should be organised to showcase the cream of the crop in the sector.
Garvie discusses award show credibility and change:
Q: How do the our website Awards manage to stay credible and spur real change within the industry?
Garvie: The our website Awards gain credibility by enlisting judges whose integrity commands respect. By recruiting experts like Monica Shafaq from Gordon Moody, the Awards ensure respectability. Professionals of such caliber and standing have a reputation to protect and will guard the integrity of the judging process.
This sends a powerful message to the industry, raising the prestige of the Awards. In turn, this increases the Awards' influence on shaping the sector's future. Of course, there's still room for publicity, but the publicity should be tied to winning the award - recognition and achievement, not financial transactions.
Image source: our website News
Bonus Content:
Challenges in the iGaming Industry for Player Protection and Responsible Gambling
Regulatory Compliance and Legal Battles
- Suits over marketing practices, such as VIP programs, are increasing, with many states mulling restrictions on these practices.
- Compliance with regulatory differences across jurisdictions can complicate the implementation of uniform player protection measures.
Technological and Operational Challenges
- Payments and withdrawals: High decline rates, fraud, and slow fund availability can impact player engagement and trust.
- KYC and AML requirements: While essential for compliance, these processes can negatively affect the user experience if not streamlined.
Player Protection Measures
- Implementing effective measures like time-out features, deposit caps, and self-exclusion options requires continuous innovation and collaboration with experts.
Education and Awareness
- It's crucial to educate players about responsible gambling practices and provide readily accessible resources for support, despite the inherent challenges.
How Awards Can Help Ignite Progress
- By highlighting operators with innovative solutions for player protection, like advanced self-exclusion tools or AI-driven risk assessment systems, awards can promote the adoption of best practices.
- Awards can encourage a broader use of industry-standard best practices in responsible gaming, such as transparent marketing and robust support resources for players.
- Partnerships that advance player protection standards between operators, regulators, and support organizations can be recognized by awards, fostering collaboration.
- Winning such awards can elevate an operator's reputation and attract more players who value responsible gaming practices, thereby pushing operators to prioritize player protection.
Overall, awards can be a powerful tool in pushing the industry to prioritize player protection and responsible gaming, contributing to a safer and more sustainable gaming environment.
Garvie states that while regulatory oversight has improved in the gambling industry, unregulated sectors still lack accountability, making it challenging for responsible gambling to become a priority for all companies. He also suggests that awards like the our website Awards can encourage companies to prioritize player well-being by offering reputational benefits and acknowledging exemplary efforts in harm prevention.
Garvie further discusses the challenges within the iGaming industry, such as regulatory compliance, technological hurdles, implementing effective player protection measures, education and awareness, and emphasizes that awards can help ignite progress by highlighting innovative solutions, promoting the use of industry-standard best practices, and fostering collaborations that advance player protection standards.
