Casino Guru Embarks on Global Self-Exclusion Initiative

Casino Guru has undertaken the ambitious task of tackling problem gambling and empowering players in a way that allows them to exclude from gambling, not just locally or on a national level, but globally. The company has released a blue paper outlining how a functioning Global Self-Exclusion System or GSES would work.

GSES lays down the basic principles of what would be a global network of participating operators who would connect through an API. From there on, the system serves much like any other self-exclusion program. It will automatically check if a person has been registered with the global scheme during the registration process at gambling operators and act accordingly.

Casino Guru wants to enable non-gambling individuals to join in order to protect the anonymity of those who may be experiencing gambling-related harm but want to stay under the radar.

Addressing the Issue in an Already Developed Market

Casino Guru has acknowledged the existing tools to protect consumers from harm, including exclusion at the single operator or using established national self-exclusion programs, have been not as comprehensive as necessary to achieve the desired results in upholding player safety across jurisdictions.

Most regulators have limited the scope of their self-exclusion programs locally, but a global initiative can be undertaken successfully if still with some objective difficulties standing in the way. Casino Guru’s team argues that GSES can be pushed gradually and imposed as a golden standard in much the same way, it seems, like Sportradar is ensuring the integrity of sports via its Integrity Service, for example.

A potential conflicting point could stem from the entity that would officially manage the program. Casino Guru asserts that this should be an independent organization that will have stakeholders’ trust. The idea is not too far-fetched as in the United Kingdom and Spain, there have been calls for European and international collaboration in addressing various issues linked to the gambling industry.

Working on GSES in Depth

The whitepaper released by Casino Guru is comprehensive and it addresses numerous potential challenges of the system, including how people would be identified and what expectations the system would have from individuals to the extent of details needed and participation. Casino Guru sustainable & safer gambling lead Šimon Vincze addressed those concerns:

The biggest challenge is probably ensuring widespread implementation of the global scheme among operators and other industry stakeholders. The system is counting on voluntary participation  as there probably never will be enforcement by regulators. We know there is a need on players’ side to exclude globally and will on operators’ side to reduce gambling harm. We can achieve widespread implementation with the functional and reliable global system with credible management.

Casino Guru sustainable & safer gambling lead Šimon Vincze

Privacy is another concern it seems that may put consumers off. However, Casino Guru’s pitched system will have some fundamental solutions to this problem, ensuring that no one could find out whether a person has been self-excluded or not. GSEG acknowledges that bad actors may try to identify people who are registered in such a program and use that information against them, but there is already a proposed solution in place. No third party would be able to tell why a person is part of GSEG and whether they have an issue with problem gambling.

The global system will seek to incentivize other people to join in so that problem gamblers are “lost in the crowd,” as the company puts it. GSES certainly faces more challenges, but the blue paper is detailed enough to offer a solution for all of the most common complaints against such a massive undertaking.