European sportsbook Tipico’s second annual corporate sustainability report published in September presents the company’s approach to problem gambling, player protection, as well as its environmental impact and customer satisfaction.
The company offers digital and mobile betting content by developing technology that improves the iGaming environment and provides a safer gaming experience to players. Tipico is currently the leading sports betting provider in Germany and one of the biggest worldwide.
The Players Can Make an Informed Choice
The report shows improvements in the relationship between typical and its customers and lower-income from problem players. The 90-page document is part of the company’s strategy to be more transparent in documenting its sustainability, Head of Corporate Responsibility Joachim Haeusler said.
Customer satisfaction rates have greatly improved year on year. According to Mr. Haeusler, this comes from customers being well-informed in order to be able to make responsible decisions.
However, when it comes to high-risk players, Tipico’s informed choice strategy might not be enough. The company will handle cases through various approaches, but sometimes imposing limits or exclusion on the player.
Advancements in technology allow for a better monitoring of players, where behavior can be tracked and artificial intelligence can divide players into different risk categories. Some problem players will be categorized as responsible enough to be able to self-exclude for example.
Tipico has also seen a decrease in the percentage of revenue coming from problem players, which remains below the German average.
Tipico’s Sustainability Report Might Set a New Trend
The sportsbook was revealed as one of the first sports betting licenses under the third State Treaty on Gambling less than 2 weeks after the release of the report.
The fourth State Treaty will limit in play betting and will impose a blanket deposit cap across most players. Joachim Haeusler said the implementation of many of the new rules can hardly be justified, as they come after years of struggle to create a new national gambling framework. He warned about the possible harm and risks created by the treaty, and added that it is too soon to say how it will affect Tipico.
Operators in Germany have been lacking the freedom of an environment allowing transparency and testing, by allowing outside forces to dictate policies. By creating evidence, sustainability reports might just be what the industry needs to create a healthy and transparent system.
Policymakers need to be “actively” supported by the industry, Mr. Haeusler said. Tipico has been very active across the Atlantic as well. The company signed up with Century Casinos as a local partner for an entry in Colorado. In late September, Tipico got conditional approval to roll out in New Jersey, the state that helped legalize sports betting on the federal level. The company even secured an early partnership with NetEnt ahead of the New Jersey launch.
Correction: A previous version of the article claimed Joachim Haeusler is Tipico’s CEO. We are sorry.