SGW 2024 and the Impact of Gamification on Responsible Gambling

Gamification has become a crucial aspect of the sector, designed to encourage engagement and increased play. However, it is essential to ensure that these tools do not promote excessive use.

David Richardson, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Better Change; Catie Di Stefano, Marketing Director at Smartico; Michal Imiolek, CEO at Wazdan; and Kaska Pysz, Head of Gamification at 3 Oaks Gaming, spoke with Gambling News about the balance between enhancing player engagement and ensuring safe gambling practices.

Q: What measures do you have in place to ensure gamification elements are used to enhance player experiences and not promote excessive play?

MI: At Wazdan, we design our gamification features to enhance enjoyment in a responsible manner. Our Chance Level™ feature enables players to adjust their winning odds. On tougher days, players can choose to turn this feature off to help limit potential losses. Additionally, our Volatility Levels™ mechanic allows players to select their desired risk level, personalising the gaming experience to match their comfort. This tailored approach ensures that players have an engaging experience while playing responsibly.

CS: Smartico’s gamification elements are not specifically designed for gaming or gambling but can be utilised in any industry. Our features emphasise fostering loyalty and sustainability through rewards and achievements, rather than promoting excessive play.

We empower operators with the data needed to take early action on responsible gaming practices. Operators can create personalised player journeys that alert them when players demonstrate increased logins, higher bets, or more frequent deposits. Through tailored communications, such as email, SMS, push notifications, and pop-ups, operators can suggest that players take a break, set limits, or even stop playing when necessary.

This approach promotes awareness and encourages responsible behaviour. Additionally, our gamification elements offer players opportunities to engage without relying on bonuses or deposits. With features like tournaments, leaderboards, quizzes, mini-games, and similar options, players can connect with the brand and enjoy a sense of community.

DR: At Better Change, our goal is to merge safer gambling with an engaging player experience. Traditionally, safer gambling has been viewed, consciously or subconsciously, as a measure for individuals showing signs of gambling-related harm. We believe this perspective is too narrow and overlooks the majority of players who gamble responsibly and for enjoyment. By enabling operators to embed safer gambling throughout the entire customer journey, and fostering collaboration among compliance, marketing, and commercial teams, we create a unique opportunity for providers of gambling products to gain a commercial edge. This approach elevates customer care and can break down stigma, laying the foundation for a sustainable industry that thrives while reducing harm among players.

KP: At 3 Oaks Gaming, we design gamification features with a clear aim: to enrich the player’s experience by fostering engagement, providing a sense of achievement, and enhancing enjoyment, rather than driving players to return solely for random points or rewards. Responsible gamification is crucial for maintaining a positive, sustainable player experience.

Our tools are built around clear objectives and transparent rules. For instance, our promotional features clearly outline player progress, define the next level of rewards, and are supported by easy-to-understand terms and conditions. A great example is our tournament series rules, which clarify the mechanics for point collection and scoring at each tournament stage and in the final global leaderboard, where players compete for top prizes. Importantly, players can choose to participate only in selected stages, allowing for a flexible experience that doesn’t overwhelm them with campaign demands.

We also take care to streamline the communication players receive during promotional events. Recently, we refined our notifications system, ensuring that players receive fewer messages before, during, and after promotions. In campaigns like Flip to Win, players can progress at their own pace and reach the final stage, where they have a chance to win prizes such as cash, free bets, or bet multipliers by flipping cards—keeping the experience enjoyable and pressure-free.

Q: Can you share any insights on how your gamification strategies have successfully balanced player engagement with responsible gambling efforts?

DR: Our approach to safer gambling through Positive Play is about engaging the majority of players and creating an experience that all players can feel is relevant to them, rather than seeing it as something solely for those with gambling issues. A specific example is our “Learn to Play” initiatives. This program is rooted in a core element of Positive Play, known as “gambling literacy,” which is achieved through education. Learn to Play provides players with foundational knowledge about gambling, covering everything from the basics to the finer details of different games and markets.

For instance, a slots player might enjoy the game more if they understand features like volatility, Return to Player (RTP), and the various game elements. With this knowledge, they can play more safely and responsibly. Similarly, simple concepts like the difference between decimal and fractional odds in sports betting or the rules of a casino table game can be taught to enhance the overall player experience. This approach incorporates safer gambling messages designed for players who want to play responsibly, not just those showing signs of harm.

KP: Our approach to responsible gambling includes tools that empower players to control their involvement in promotional activities. For example, we developed an Opt Out feature, allowing players to consciously decide which campaigns they wish to participate in, preventing any sense of compulsion to keep playing.

We also focus on timing rewards carefully. Prizes and incentives are offered at well-considered intervals—not too frequent to push players to “just keep going,” but regular enough to keep the experience engaging. For instance, our Hot Periods feature boosts points and prizes for a limited time, followed by a cooldown period. This approach encourages players to take breaks between heightened activity, supporting self-regulation. Additionally, our clients have the flexibility to set limits on prizes per player per promotion, providing a balanced approach that respects both reward distribution and player playtime. Our promotion designs are both adaptable and impactful, allowing operators to tailor settings that suit diverse player preferences, without risking excessive play.

CS: All our gamification elements are customisable, enabling operators to creatively raise awareness about responsible gaming. For instance, operators could create a quiz focused on responsible gaming that rewards players with points or a special badge upon completion. This approach reinforces positive behaviour through education. Players who set time limits to encourage regular breaks could also receive a spin on a customised wheel as a reward.

These are just a few examples of how operators promote responsible gaming. The potential for encouraging responsible behaviour through personalised gamification and communication is truly limitless!

MI: Our gamification strategies balance player engagement with responsible gambling by providing customisable features that enhance the gaming experience without encouraging excessive play. Players and operators can adjust gameplay settings, such as risk levels and winning chances, while also setting limits on available funds for better control. This approach creates an enjoyable and personalised experience that promotes responsible gaming.

Q: How can game design be adapted further to promote safer gambling, and how are developers prioritising responsible features in the early stages of product development?

CS: Advancements in game design can significantly contribute to promoting safer gambling practices. With our engagement software, operators have complete flexibility to customise gamification elements to align with their unique brand strategies.

At Smartico, we provide operators with AI models aimed at preventing player churn and increasing customer lifetime value. By utilising these AI tools to monitor player behaviour and integrating these insights into their gamification design, operators can make real-time interventions when risky patterns emerge, offering timely support and guidance. We believe that this proactive approach helps ensure that players remain engaged in a safe and balanced manner.

DR: To truly promote safer gambling, it should be embedded throughout the entire customer journey, beginning at sign-up or entry to a land-based gambling venue. This doesn’t mean using traditional safer gambling interactions, which often carry stigma and are historically reactive, aimed primarily at stopping or limiting gambling. Instead, modern interactions should centre on education and information, fostering a sense of care and security. This approach can enhance player retention, as customers experience positive, safety-focused interactions without feeling targeted or restricted.

In a land-based venue, the personal connection between staff and customers should be valued as an essential tool for safer gambling. With the right training, staff can learn how and when to engage with customers based on their unique habits, making these interactions more meaningful and supportive.

It’s also important to note that Positive Play is not for individuals showing signs of harm. Many excellent tools, like blocking software, exist to assist those in need, along with support and treatment options if necessary. Instead, we should view safer gambling as a broad continuum, with opportunities to engage customers at every stage. By offering safer gambling interactions tailored to those who enjoy gambling and can maintain a healthy relationship with it, we can better protect players and contribute to a sustainable, responsible industry.

MI: Balancing excitement with safety is a fundamental aspect of our game design. From the beginning, we steer clear of themes that might entice underage audiences and focus on features that promote responsible gameplay. We continually refine effective strategies to strike a balance between player engagement and safety, ensuring that our games are enjoyable and secure for all users.

KP: As games become more interactive and immersive, the industry is actively working to ensure that the focus remains on entertainment, steering clear of excessive play. This requires collaboration across developers, operators, suppliers, and players to foster a balanced gaming ecosystem that prioritises player choice over constant play.

We offer features such as multiple spin speed options, giving players the freedom to adjust game pace according to their preferences. For example, the standard speed allows players to enjoy rich animations and gameplay features, while faster speeds suit those looking for a shorter, more casual experience.

From the early stages of product development, we incorporate responsible features as foundational elements. When creating new promotional tools, we emphasise the importance of prominently displaying players’ balance, allowing them to monitor their spending at any time easily. This careful consideration of game mechanics supports a healthier gaming environment.

Data analysis is fundamental to our approach, and our Business Intelligence team continually monitors how players respond to our features. Positive player feedback informs us that our tools contribute meaningfully to a responsible gaming environment, and this ongoing feedback helps us refine our strategy to maintain both freshness and fairness. In essence, creating a fair, engaging, and enjoyable gaming experience through thoughtful gamification requires balancing player well-being with reward and achievement.