Progress Report #10: BetBlocker Partnership & New Direction of the Campaign

Author: Simon Vincze Last updated: 21 Jan 2025 05:30

Over the past few months, we've had to rethink how to move the campaign forward. Initially, we focused on encouraging voluntary participation from gambling operators, but it became clear that this approach just wasn't working. The main issue is the lack of incentives or motivation for operators to commit to a global self-exclusion system. Without a compelling reason for them to join, we've had to change direction and explore fresh solutions.

As outlined in the previous progress report, we need to shift our focus to regulators issuing licenses for offshore or, more precisely, international online gambling operations. These jurisdictions are not the easiest ones for cooperation, but we will have to take our chances. Recent regulatory changes in Curaçao and other locations indicate a shift towards a more legitimate position, with player protection being a higher priority.

Focusing on offshore jurisdictions' regulations is not the only change in the Initiative's strategy, as we sought a solution that would allow struggling players to block internationally. The answer lies in blocking software.

Partnership with BetBlocker

One major breakthrough has been our partnership with BetBlocker, a software tool that blocks access to gambling-related websites and apps. This collaboration is a crucial step because it provides an easily available way to block access to gambling internationally. While blocking apps aren't what you'd call "traditional" self-exclusion tools, they currently offer the only practical way to self-exclude on a global scale.

As a first step, we've already added BetBlocker to the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative website. This was an easy decision since most people reaching out to us through the site's contact form are struggling players looking for a way to self-exclude globally. Now, we can offer them an immediate solution to block their access to gambling.

But this partnership is about more than just adding a tool to the website. BetBlocker and the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative share a lot of common goals, and we've agreed to keep exploring ways to support each other. For example, we're discussing integrating our database of problem gambling help centers and self-exclusion assistance tool into BetBlocker's offerings. This would make it easier for users to self-exclude from existing accounts, block access to gambling sites, and access resources for help, all in one place. This kind of cooperation is a huge step forward in providing better support for players.

Progress with Self-Exclusion Standards

While we've been focusing on the pivot, we've also made good progress on the Self-Exclusion Standards project. This project doesn't directly advance the global self-exclusion system but lays the groundwork for it by creating a set of rules for online self-exclusion practices. The results will provide practical recommendations for any online self-exclusion scheme and a solid baseline for future efforts. In the meantime, they are helping promote awareness of the global system itself.

The current phase of the project, the broader consultation, has been a big success. We presented the project at two major conferences. The first was the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG) in Rome, a research-focused event where we engaged with experts and researchers. The second was the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), which is the top event for gambling regulators worldwide. This was a fantastic opportunity to share our findings with a group capable of implementing the recommendations into their regulatory frameworks. We received a lot of interest, particularly from African regulators and others from around the world.

In total, we received sixty-two valid responses during the broader consultation phase, surpassing our initial goal of fifty. These responses were selected from one hundred nineteen submissions, with some not meeting the criteria for complete reactions. Surpassing our goal is a great success and shows how much interest the project has generated.

Next, we'll have a final workgroup meeting at ICE in Barcelona to decide on the final recommendations for the Self-Exclusion Standards project. This meeting will bring together insights from all the broader consultations and previous phases to finalize the recommendations, providing a practical roadmap for improving self-exclusion practices globally.

What lies ahead

Our work won't stop once the final recommendations for the Self-Exclusion Standards project are ready. The goal is to actively campaign for these recommendations and push for their adoption by regulators and operators worldwide. From the start, this project wasn't just about creating a research paper but about making a real impact in the online gambling industry. We'll be engaging directly with stakeholders to ensure these recommendations lead to real change.

At the same time, we'll continue to focus on the pivot and advancing the Global Self-Exclusion System. One critical realization over the past few years is that single-jurisdiction regulators don't have much interest in a global system unless offshore providers are included. For example, Swedish operators don't accept players from the UK, so they don't see the need for a global solution. What's needed is engagement with jurisdictions that accept players internationally.

To move forward, we'll shift our focus from operators to offshore regulators. Voluntary participation hasn't worked, so the next step is getting the buy-in of regulatory authorities. Ideally, this would mean incorporating the global system into their regulations, but even achieving formal recommendations would be a major step forward.

We'll need to rethink the technical solution outlined in the blue paper to accomplish this. The current system needs to become seamless in registering and detecting players. This journey is proving longer and more challenging than we envisioned initially, but we're committed to finding the right path. We need to open discussions with regulators in offshore jurisdictions and, most importantly, find a way to convince them that this system is worth their support.