From here to zero
Kindred has set an ambition to reach 0% revenue from harmful gambling by 2023. This can only be achieved if we take decisive and proactive steps as a company, but also as an industry. We have already made important contributions to ensure a safer gambling environment for our customers, yet many more contributions remain. Below are some highlights already achieved, and milestones to reach. The list below will evolve over time.
2023
- Explore the option to open PS-EDS for third party access and use to avoid selective data from only one operator
2022
- Through EGBA explore possibility to share data from operators to regulators in order to track historic harmful gambling
- Ensure regulators understand the need to widen scope of national self-exclusion registers to include adjacent industries such as consumer loan providers
- Together with identified national trade associations, set out industry wide commitments for the next 3-4 years
- Build a real-time monitoring capability by updating PS-EDS
- Implement automated communication to triggers detected in PS-EDS to ensure timely intervention when needed
- Add a re-enforcement learning element to PS-EDS to continually improve the accuracy of detections
- Add additional machine learning algorithms to the PS-EDS framework
- Implement further control tools to further help customers stay in control
- Make RecoverMe App available for free to all customers in UK and US
- Further support research by sponsoring two PhD programmes at the University of Malta
- Collaborate with QuiteGamble.com to promote their organisation’s online community on Kindred brands’ sites
2021
- Initiate a real-time monitoring capability by updating PS-EDS
- Build a re-enforcement learning element to PS-EDS to continually improve the accuracy of detections
- Prepare for additional machine learning algorithms to the PS-EDS framework
- Invite external researchers to evaluate PS-EDS
- Partner with AI research and technology companies to develop Kindred’s data capability
- Engage in activities with regulators to define common objectives in eradicating harmful gambling as robust license systems are required
- Engage with national trade associations to map out industry wide white papers and policy documents
- Together with Zafty Intelligence, develop and launch an AI based mobile app that can help players keep track of their gambling behaviour
2020
- Kindred released customer campaigns with ambassadors to highlight messaging around staying in control
- Integrated sustainability and ESG in the corporate strategic cycle to ensure complete focus and buy-in from the entire organisation
- Agreed on a roadmap to achieve the ambition and set out annual milestones to be reported in each Sustainability Report
- Launched PS-EDS v2 based on DSM 5 levels to support better detection of problematic gambling behaviour
- Established a Sustainability Council, reporting to the Executive Team and Audit Committee, to align and integrate strategic activities across the business
2019
- Development of a sustainability index as a basis for non-financial targets into the employee short-term incentive scheme
- Kindred brands 32Red and Unibet extends their responsible gambling strategy through its football club sponsorships in the UK, ensuring responsible gambling messaging dominate all matches where two 32Red sponsored teams play each other
- Kindred brand Unibet is the first UK operator to integrate blocking software into the self-exclusion process
2018
- Based on the newly integrated sustainability framework, Kindred’s first sustainability report is published according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standard
- Since 2016, Kindred has hosted the annual Responsible Gambling Conference. To encompass more of the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, the conference is rebranded to Sustainable Gambling Conference
- Further increasing customer exposure to responsible gambling messaging, Kindred launches a campaign in Belgium to raise awareness of responsible gambling which is followed by similar campaigns across markets
- To ensure further exposure of the Gambling Therapy app, Kindred sponsors a translation of the app for the Nordic markets
- In close collaboration with Betfilter, Kindred funds the development of a new online blocking tool, Adblocker, to help prevent underaged people being exposed to gambling ads. Kindred offers the blocking tool to all customers.
2017
- Kindred develops a complete sustainability framework and implements it across the Group
- Investigating how new technology can minimise harmful gambling and so Kindred hosts a roundtable to investigate if and how artificial intelligence can help spot problem gambling earlier and with more accuracy
- Kindred funds the development of a free Gambling Therapy app, providing information about problem gambling, therapeutic exercises and support for people who are struggling with the gambling patterns
- Supporting further research into player profiles and efficacy of responsible gambling practices, Kindred commissions two leading researchers to carry out research using anonymised customer data
- Independent audit of Kindred operations and practices is crucial in achieving best practices and Kindred is the first operator to successfully complete an external audit against the official 2014 EU Recommendation on Consumer Protection and Responsible Gambling (2014/478/EU)