The Gaming Commission (GC) organised a round table discussion on 22 September 2020 on the theme of better protection for players.
President of the GC Magali Clavie decided to bring the legal gaming operators together for the first time around the table with representatives from the support sector, scientists and players alike. The purpose of the meeting was to allow the various stakeholders to get to know each other and exchange views.
The President expected an open and constructive debate. By entering into dialogue in a serene, respectful and constructive manner, and also by exploring less obvious roads, the GC hopes to achieve optimum protection for players within the legal sector and an efficient fight against the illegal offer. The GC wants to use the knowledge it has gathered to define its priorities and take concrete action.
The programme with the presentations can be found here, with thanks to the speakers for their kind permission.
1. Why fight against an illegal offer?
> Joeri Impens (Bingoal)
"The illegal offer has only disadvantages, both for the state and the players as well as for the legal operators. Mr Impens advocates that legal operators can pursue a sustainable policy based on satisfied and loyal customers. Therefore, the legal offer must be able to remain attractive. Illegal sites have no guarantee of player protection. The channelling idea must be maintained and all possible means must be used to fight the illegal sector."
2. Why favour the legal offer and how to help players distinguish between the illegal and legal offer?
> Xavier Noël (Gambling Clinic CHU Brugmann)
"A better protection of players on the legal gambling sites would be one of the best arguments to dissuade players from playing on the illegal sites. The legal operators should be more inventive in this area. Their offer should not only be attractive but also safe. Responsible gambling must be encouraged. The legal offer must be irreproachable in this area and must innovate to reduce excessive gambling. The measures to protect players taken by legal operators must be numerous and varied. The public must also be better informed about these measures."
> Emmanuel Mewissen (BAGO - Ardent)
"Gambling operators are entrepreneurs who want to be creative and innovative. Without the possibility of publicity, it is difficult for them to make the legal offer known to players. It then becomes even easier for players to turn to the ubiquitous illegal gambling sites that do not hesitate to use aggressive marketing techniques. Legal operators must have permission to communicate with their target audience to avoid them being targeted by illegal operators. Everything must be done so that Belgian players do not turn to illegal gambling sites."
4. How can ITSME influence the EPIS system in the context of online gambling? (611.29 KB) "pdf"
> Tim De Borle (Napoleon Games)
"For now, only 33% of players have appealed to ItsMe since the system was introduced at Napoleon Games in July 2020. The percentage of successful verifications via ItsMe is 61%, which means that the number of error messages is still considerable (39%). These error messages have a negative impact on the player experience and cause frustration among players. ItsMe is also not a solution for players with foreign passports. It can therefore never be used as the sole means of identification. The system does not have the capabilities to replace EPIS."
5. How to make gambling less addictive but still sufficiently attractive?
> Dennis Mariën (BAGO - Kindred)
"Not only the game, but also the person himself and his environment have an influence on whether someone is prone to addiction. Mr Mariën proposes using the Reno model to efficiently protect players. This involves various parties working together to set up mechanisms that should lead to a decrease in gambling addiction. These mechanisms must be scientifically underpinned. The gambling operator also has an important role to play, and can provide means for players to better control their gaming behaviour."
6. How to innovate and optimise EPIS? (772.06 KB) "pdf"
> Massimo Menegalli (Golden Palace)
"The EPIS system, in place since 2004 to protect problem players, is unparalleled in Europe. The system groups together different categories of people of which 89% are excluded on a preventive basis (e.g. because of their profession or on the basis of a court decision). However, EPIS is not a barometer for measuring problematic gaming behaviour. EPIS could, however, be expanded to include National Lottery betting and gaming. Also, an improvement of the online identification would make EPIS even more efficient."
> Mélanie Saeremans (Gambling Clinic CHU Brugmann)
"Ms Saeremans proposes four approaches that operators can use to help problem gamblers: 1) train their staff, 2) communicate effectively with gamblers so that they play responsibly, 3) contact gamblers immediately when they show signs of distress, 4) provide assistance to people in distress (e.g. gamblers with suicidal thoughts) and work closely with counsellors who can provide appropriate support for problem gamblers. Signs that may indicate problems include: complaints, signs of impatience and frustration, risky gambling behaviour, continuous gambling, placing large bets, problems with payments, ...".
8. How to make gambling addicts stop gambling and guide them to deal with problems? (812.22 KB) "pdf"
> François Mertens (vzw Le Pélican)
"Mr Mertens addresses the typical pattern that is followed from the ordinary gambler to the problem gambler. He stresses that there are barriers for a problem gambler that make seeking help difficult: the taboo surrounding excessive gambling, the lack of specialised help and trained staff, the cost, the shame of gamblers. He emphasises the advantages of online counselling: it is accessible, self-tests are available and gamblers can be referred to counselling."