Responsibility
Play by the rules! See our commitment to responsible gaming.
Responsibility
Our
commitment
Responsible behavior of companies, regardless of the sector in which they operate, is
gradually coming under the spotlight.
Especially in the EU-member states, where
sustainability and responsibility are currently one of the key topics in the block. Gambling
operators are no exception. Drawing inspiration from traditional gambling markets like
the U.S. or the U.K., Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) decided to step in and unite
on strategies that will focus on preemptively reducing and then supporting at risk
customers.
FEG operates only in fully regulated markets, such as Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Romania, Poland and Croatia, where gambling regulations exist, but no such initiative as
Responsible Gaming was introduced yet.
Player
protection
As mentioned above, responsible behavior of companies should be a priority of every
serious gaming operator, whereas in CEE the topic of responsible gaming is not
regulated. There are several great pieces of RG measures stated in local laws, such as
obligation to allow players to set certain self-limiting measures (which are not mandatory
and can be refused), not to allow minors to play and to warn in advertisements that
betting/gaming may cause addiction, but overall there is no comprehensive regulation in
this matter an no obligation for gaming operators to have RG program including some
real customer protection measures in place.
In order to protect our customers and eliminate the possibility of putting them at risk of harm we set out to develop a strategy covering Proactive Customer Protection and Regulatory & Industry awareness.
Increasing
awarness
We took the learnings from the more established UK/Western markets and replicated and improved on those here in CEE. We analyzed portfolio of our players in each market, looked for the similar signs of those at risk and then chose the mathematical algorithms (Markers of Harm applicable and tested for our markets) useful for indication of such behavior. At the same time, we conducted research for each market with real players, industry experts, and addictologists to validate our approach and learn about other possible ways how to detect players at risk and how to approach them (communication with players, suspension of marketing materials).
However, the program does not stop there. It also addresses the intervention and immediate professional help to those who are unable to keep gambling within reasonable limits. Players should also have easy-to-access and understandable information on how to stay in control of gambling, what tools are available, and where to seek effective help. FEG includes information about the project in our advertisement and restricts marketing communication on the players with risky behavior identified by the tool.
Creating
community
Finally, FEG launched its own responsible gaming initiative with unique branding and websites Hrajme Zodpovedne (Play Responsibly*) in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia. The website provides comprehensive information for the players on how to identify and deal with risky gaming and provides contacts to specialists and doctors equipped to help with addiction or financial issues.
We have also started organizing Responsible Gaming Week in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland together with other operators to increase the awareness about Responsible Gaming, so our customers (and their relatives) know how to self-limit themselves and when and where to seek help, if necessary.
The biggest success we are proud of is the fact that we are demonstrating leadership in RG area, but at the same time we are successfully managing onboarding the other operators, thus influencing whole industry.
Biggest
achievements
Fortuna achieved to onboard the other three big operators in Czech Republic – Tipsport, Chance and Sazka
and signed Memorandum of Understanding and RG Code of Conduct with them during press conference in September
2021. In this Code of Conduct all the biggest operators mentioned above committed themselves to have RG
measures in place including software for early detection of players at risk, responsible marketing, and mandatory
annual audit (it took place in June 2023) to confirm all the RG obligations anchored in the conduct are fulfilled.
FEG has the same approach also in other countries and is proactively leading engagement with operators to align on RG standards.
In Slovakia, we achieved to set up new Institute for Responsible Gaming with Fortuna, Tipsport, Niké
and Tipos being the founding members and we signed the same Memorandum and RG Code of Conduct as in
Czech Republic. At the same time, we launched Responsible Gaming Week and announced our plans in joint press
conference. In Romania, we kicked off meetings with Kindred and Superbet to try to align on the same strategy
and together with Romanian association Joc Responsabil (Responsible gaming) we drive the RG initiatives together.
Overall, our Responsible Gaming program is forward thinking initiative to drive RG in CEE and self-regulate
responsible operators in respective countries, which was never done yet.