BetMGM said it plans to fully integrate GameSense, an innovative responsible gaming program developed in Canada, into its betting platform and will make it available for both current and future customers later this year.
GameSense was developed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) in 2009 and was subsequently licensed to MGM Resorts International, which launched the program at its land-based properties in the US in 2017. The initial roll-out gave customers access to educational resources, and interactive GameSense touchscreens were set up at desks at the properties for the resorts’ M life Rewards program.
MGM Resorts received multiple awards from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) for its embrace of the GameSense initiative. BetMGM, a joint venture between Entain and MGM Resorts, will become the first online gaming operator in the US to fully deploy GameSense.
“As the mobile gaming industry in the US continues to grow, responsible gambling is a key focus for BetMGM and is critically important for the industry as a whole,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “GameSense presents a forward-thinking approach to responsible gambling. We look forward to empowering our players with a proven program, designed to help support a positive gambling experience.”
Initiative has won international recognition
GameSense is currently licensed by 14 gambling organizations across North America and has been internationally recognized as an industry-leading best practice focused on player health.
The initiative earned the World Lottery Association’s Best Overall Responsible Gambling Program in 2010, and the NCPG’s Social Responsibility Award in 2015.
GameSense includes engaging content and provides every player with tools and support—including access to trained specialists called GameSense Advisors—to make informed decisions and to play responsibly.
“As online gambling and sports betting increase in popularity, BCLC is so pleased that BetMGM is offering players more opportunities and resources to support healthy play with our GameSense program,” said BCLC Interim CEO Lynda Cavanaugh.
She added that the BCLC’s commitment to player health “extends well beyond British Columbia and we look forward to working with BetMGM to increase our mutual understanding about how best to provide players with the tools that enhance positive-play decisions.”
GameSense was lauded at industry conference in June
Last month, Richard Taylor Jr., responsible gaming program manager for BetMGM, called GameSense a “shining example” of how regulators and operators can collaborate to promote a responsible gaming program.
“We do not want to cause harm to customers [whose loyalty] we want for decades,” Taylor told attendees of a webinar at the SBC Digital North America conference on June 10. A webinar panelist, he called responsible gaming initiatives like GameSense a “business imperative.”
Another panelist, Mark Vander Linden, director of research and responsible gaming for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) also lauded GameSense. The MGC licensed GameSense from the BCLC in 2015 and deployed it at the state’s three casinos, including at MGM Springfield.
“Casinos are masters at marketing and communication,” Vander Linden said. “We rely on cooperation with each of our licensees. Without that partnership, I don’t think [GameSense] would be as effective as it is.”
Shortly before the Encore Boston Harbor casino opened in June 2019, the MGC said in a release that the resort would have 13 GameSense Advisors, who collectively speak eight languages and have a combined 63 years of gaming experience.
