Crown Resorts has introduced a responsible gambling initiative called Crown PlaySafe as part of its plan to reduce gambling harm.
The Australian operator’s C=initiative will focus on maximising player safety, form a new approach to remove stigma and establish a gambling harm research and policy team to prevent gambling harm from happening and offer support to those that need it.
In regards to maximising player safety, PlaySafe has split this goal into four priorities that centred around building a safer gambling culture around the key principles of:
- Future – focusing on prevention and safer play, taking successful prevention and harm reduction strategies into account when developing new products and programmes.
- Culture – Creating a more culturally relevant gambling harm prevention approach in collaboration with industry stakeholders, regulators, education providers and community-based organisations.
- Environment – Using technology and data to support vulnerable or at-risk players, implementing carded-play and pre-commitment systems, marketing guardrails, training improvements and other gambling safety features.
- System – Investing in research and data monitoring to improve player behaviour understanding and create safe player experiences.
Player safety initiatives being introduced at Crown Resorts properties include mandatory carded-play and pre-commitment systems at Crown Melbourne, cashless gaming on electronic table games at Crown Sydney, $10 maximum bet limits on electronic gaming machines at Crown Perth, and a new resorts-wide online self-exclusion portal.
Ciarán Carruthers, CEO of Crown Resorts, commented: “We know that we can do more to maximise player safety, which is why Crown is scaling up all efforts to introduce these world-leading initiatives that help to educate and support guests to play in a positive and safe way.
“The plan addresses new and emerging challenges associated with gambling harm, including how we improve our understanding of gambling participation and develop new harm reduction concepts and ideas.
“With a focus on collaboration and engagement with government, industry and community-based partners, I am confident that together we can reduce gambling harm and create a safer gambling future for all Australians.”
Forming a new approach to remove stigma, Crown PlaySafe will provide an environment where guests understand the initiative’s role and the measures that are in place to support them.
Research was undertaken by the company to ensure PlaySafe’s new approach would be effective. The operator will introduce a new website, logo, colours, language and purpose statement throughout the rest of the year as ‘Responsible Gambling’ becomes Crown Playsafe. Position titles across the company and its responsible gaming centres will be renamed as well.
Crown PlaySafe will also establish a dedicated gambling research and policy team led by public health research expert Dr Jamie Wiebe, creating a knowledge exchange hub for the industry.
The team will develop awareness and prevention education tools, safer gambling concepts and research, and events and seminars to promote safer player experiences.
In total, Crown has invested $13m into gambling harm prevention and support in the past year, doubling the size of the Crown PlaySafe team.
Wiebe stated: “While our knowledge and understanding of gambling harm has deepened over the years, the introduction of new reforms and expanded support for vulnerable or at-risk players will make it easier for guests to manage and play within their personal limits.
“Gambling safety features like mandatory carded-play, time and spend limits, and online self-exclusion are some of the many tools being implemented to support guests to play safely.”
