Crucial Compliance has acquired the BetProtect brand and its products from the Safer Online Gambling Group, amid calls that the industry has an “appetite to do more” to support players.

The firm says that the purchase of the gambling protection app lays the platform for its reach to grow substantially, with a number of providers, “including household names from the UK and overseas,” exploring the process of integration.

“BetProtect’s new home is the perfect place for its features and content to be rolled out across the industry, thanks to the direction and expertise provided by Crucial Compliance’s compliance expertise and technological ability,” explained Adam Bradford, BetProtect co-founder.

“The model in place is not commercial; it’s built around reinvestment, which means that finance generated is put back into the development of the app, both in terms of improving its effectiveness through analytical analysis and putting it in front of more and more people.

“To me as a co-founder, and the son of a former gambling addict who’s experienced first-hand the pain of seeing a loved one so badly affected, this is a truly exciting milestone in our journey – seven years on from dad being jailed.

“We draw an enormous sense of pride from the fact that our family’s experiences will be able to make a long-lasting difference to help players with a problem, and we hope that our contributions to the public policy debate have inspired others with hope that gambling addiction can be overcome.

“A better life is possible after addiction and we believe there is a tidal wave of change on the horizon that will create a safer gambling experience for everyone.”

BetProtect is a player awareness space that offers tools and professional advice to help players better understand and manage their relationship with gambling. It can be seamlessly integrated as part of a player’s gaming experience on both mobile and desktop, and has been developed in conjunction with leading therapists and counsellors.

The app was launched in June by father and son David and Adam Bradford, following several years of campaigning for change in the industry, including lobbying for more support for addicts, pushing for gambling addiction to be recognised as a mental health problem and advising gambling companies on safer gambling projects.

David will play a central role in the app’s future development following its acquisition by Crucial Compliance, in a newly created position on the firm’s advisory board as a safer gambling advisor.

“Equipped with the app, and the knowledge and insight we can gain from David’s lived experiences, we are setting out to change the industry one company at a time, and the acquisition of BetProtect forms another cornerstone of that objective,” commented Paul Foster, Crucial Compliance CEO.

“We strongly believe that there is an appetite to do more from within the industry, and a willingness from the leading providers in the UK and from overseas to change the overall mentality of a sector that is trying to acknowledge that the addiction risk is still with us in this digital age.

“Crucial Compliance already works across the industry, utilising cutting-edge software and data tools to spot risky play, provide tailored interventions and improve industry safety standards, so we’re excellently equipped to manage the roll-out of BetProtect’s functionality across the industry.

“In the short term, we’re seeking to prevent gambling-related harm and protect players as quickly as possible. In the longer term, I truly believe we can drive real cultural change in the industry, keeping the power of David’s own story front of mind, together with our unique position as an independent compliance consultancy.”

The Safer Online Gambling Group, which operated as a community interest company, will be dissolved following the completion of the sale and a short handover period.