Several of the top online gaming operators within the US just launched the first industry-led principles for responsible gaming. Many notable gaming providers like the Bally’s Corporation, BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel helped form these new official standards.

Other operators who had a hand in rolling out these new protocols for the industry include MGM Resorts International and Entain.

They combined to form the 12 principles of responsible gaming for bettors all over the country to utilize. While many individual states like the NJ online gambling market feature their own regulations in terms of responsible gaming, now everyone has a universal rulebook.

The noted operators delivered this industry benchmark in honor of the fact that September is Responsible Gaming Education Month in accordance with the American Gaming Association.

Let’s take a deeper look at the responsible gaming principles now in place for online gamblers everywhere.

Responsible gaming in the Garden State

With so many states offering legal online gaming and sports betting, active bettors must know the signs of problem gambling and where to get help. The Garden State offers plenty of great avenues for its residents, with several different councils in place to assist.

Along with helping those who need it, the 12 principles are set up to attempt to prevent underage gaming, as well as serving those who are excluded.

The 12 principles of responsible gaming

These 12 principles provided by some of the biggest online gaming operators in the US come from four core attributes. They include the following:

• Participate only in legal markets that provide consumer protections.
• Strive to instill responsible gaming culture throughout our respective businesses.
• All forms of online gaming should be a fun activity and enjoyed as a form of entertainment.
• While the vast majority of individuals can enjoy online gaming in a responsible way, some individuals need additional tools and support related to their gaming activities.

Operators find themselves looking to give customers lots of information to keep them current on any responsible gaming tools. Through communication that’s easy to understand and continuous research, they hope the 12 principles can benefit gamblers all over the US.

Along with the standards comes a unified responsible gaming toll-free phone number for everyone in the nation to use for help. It also intends to produce socially responsible advertising without images that could attract those who are underage.

The operators prefer a “shared responsibility approach” for problem gaming. By taking this route, they all can begin working with:

• Policy makers
• Academic experts and researchers
• Problem gaming treatment organizations
• Advocacy groups and partners

Of course, this highlights promoting responsible gaming to customers, as well.

Responsible gaming in NJ

Part of this new venture is also based around training employees and ensuring each individual operator updates its own responsible gaming tools.

As expected, all of the gaming providers are excited about their new partnerships and the direction of responsible gaming. The President of Interactive at Bally’s Corporation, Robeson Reeves, said “Bally’s is proud to partner with all of the participating operators.

“We are committed to the 12-point pledge and it’s Bally’s and the industry’s responsibility to prevent underage gaming and provide education and safeguards.”

Others, like BetMGM, shared similar viewpoints. Its Chief Legal Officer, Joshua Jessen, said:

“Responsible gaming is at the forefront of everything we do at BetMGM. While we operate in a highly competitive industry, we are proud to stand together with our colleagues to adopt these important principles. Creating a consistent standard of responsible gaming measures across the board greatly strengthens our collective commitment to our customers, employees, and the communities where we operate. We look forward to building on our work into the future.”

The following is a statement provided by the six operators upon the release of their 12 principles:

We, the signatories, pledge to observe the following responsible gaming principles across all our online gaming related activities and to encourage all affiliated third parties, including but not be limited to content providers, social media influencers, social media accounts and brand ambassadors, to also adhere to these principles: 

Responsible gaming principles

1. Take active steps to prevent underage and excluded individuals from participating in any form of gaming within our products; 
2. Help patrons make informed choices about their gaming. We provide easy to read information about how to play, provide responsible gaming tools including information on how to access and use such tools; and provide other related information, including information about a toll-free helpline, as well as resources for those who are seeking support related to their gaming; 
3. Support the adoption and effective promotion of a unified nationwide responsible gaming toll-free helpline; 
4. Abide by applicable standards of socially responsible advertising, including compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and standards, and we avoid using minors in marketing content. We only use actors and company representatives in advertising and social media relating to gaming who reasonably appear to be above the legal age to gamble;
5. Provide our customers with tools to play responsibly, including but not to limited to self-exclusion tools, financial and other account limits as well as customer betting histories; 
6. Abide by all self-exclusion rules and regulations, and provide resources to individuals who make the choice to self-exclude;
7. Encourage patrons to set a budget that they can afford to and never play beyond their means, and not view gaming as a means to financial success;
8.  Encourage patrons to set time and financial limits on their gaming and stick to them, not to chase losses;
9. Believe in a shared responsibility approach to addressing problem gaming and are committed to working with policy makers, academic experts and researchers, problem gaming treatment organizations, advocacy groups, and our partners as well as with our customers to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming;
10. Support funding for evidence-based problem and responsible gaming research;
11. Provide all applicable employees with responsible gaming training upon hire and regularly thereafter, in order to embed responsible gaming culture in our businesses and 
12. Be committed to evaluating and continuously monitoring our respective responsible gaming programs and initiatives. 

Top operators commit to responsible gaming

The other operators in the deal discussed the importance of this agreement and the future of responsible gaming. DraftKings’ Senior Director of Responsible Gaming, Chrissy Thurmond, said:

“Essential to promoting safer play is a framework for operators to guide them in responsible gaming. DraftKings is pleased to be a part of this landmark effort that has culminated in the adoption of 12 responsible gaming principles across the participating operators – and that will benefit consumers around the United States.”

FanDuel’s Vice President of Responsible Gaming. Adam Warrington explained:

“FanDuel is committed to collaborating and partnering with every participating operator, and our entire industry, on these 12 principles of responsible online gaming. Collectively, we have the privilege and opportunity to set the standard for what it means to be a responsible operator by leading from the front and collectively enabling our customers to enjoy our products, responsibly.”