Gambling Insider: Industry must ditch passive compliance and innovate quicker

BetBuddy stresses the need for industry to leverage data to protect consumers with greater urgency.

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In this guest column, Simo Dragicevic, CEO of BetBuddy, argues that the gambling industry must move beyond reactive compliance and embrace proactive, data-driven innovation to effectively tackle problem gambling.

Key Points:

• Passive Compliance Is No Longer Enough: The industry has relied too long on reactive measures—responding to regulatory sanctions and media scrutiny with temporary fixes rather than systemic change.
• Technology and Data Are Underutilized: While gambling is increasingly driven by data and digital infrastructure, these tools are still used more to promote gambling than to protect players.
• AI and Machine Learning Offer Real Potential: Advanced systems can now analyze millions of data points to detect early signs of harmful gambling behavior. Unlike static thresholds (e.g., large deposits), AI can identify nuanced patterns and suggest tailored interventions.
• Transparency and Ethics Are Crucial: The use of AI must be underpinned by ethical design and transparency to build trust with regulators, players, and the public. Systems must not be biased by profit-driven motives.
• Better Reporting and KPIs Needed: Operators should evolve beyond basic metrics and begin reporting on the effectiveness of safer gambling interactions in reducing harm.
• Collaboration Is Still Rare: Data sharing between operators—and with external sectors like banking and credit agencies—remains limited. Greater collaboration could enhance affordability checks and player protection.
• Integration Must Be Practical: Safer gambling technologies should be designed to integrate with existing operator systems to avoid costly overhauls.

Conclusion:

Dragicevic calls for a shift from defensive compliance to proactive innovation. By leveraging AI and data more intelligently—and ethically—the industry can strengthen its safer gambling efforts and demonstrate leadership, rather than waiting for regulators to impose solutions.

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