Online Casinos Formulate First-Class Advancement On ECOGRA Conscientious Gaming Initiative

In order to attend the second annual training course in Responsible Gambling Management, delegates of top level online casinos congregated in London this week. The annual training course is being offered by eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and at the by the G4 responsible gaming specialist group.

Thomas Nilsson and Rob t'Hondt, G4 course leaders, gave delegates a salute. They have been teaching delegates the complexities of treating problem gambling and reviewing responsible gaming measures implemented at eCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal sites.

Addressing the delegates t'Hondt said that it was amazing what they had achieved by implementing practical Responsible Gaming measures at their companies during the previous year, since the initial training course with eCOGRA. He said that eCOGRA was proud to be associated with their many achievements and also to be associated with the respect for customers that such achievements indicate.

t'Hondt  went on to note that ongoing training and review sessions have now become a part of the association’s relationships with eCOGRA online casinos and poker rooms, and that they were looking forward to a continuing and ongoing closer interaction in the future. He pointed out that the commitment of the online casinos to Responsible Gaming has entailed hard work and a great deal of expense, but that this is an investment that will improve rewards for both online casinos’ customers as well as the online casinos themselves in the coming years.

t'Hondt added that the companies of those participating in the training courses are setting respected standards in a market that is stabilizing, and that eCOGRA is looking forward to further progress in the future.
Thomas Nilsson, the Swedish psychologist, informed the delegates that recent surveys that included 10,000 gamblers in Sweden, had demonstrated some growth in the incidence of female problem gamblers as a part of the approximately 2 percent of problem gamblers. The survey had shown that men and women problem gamblers show different preferences for gambling. The study indicates that while men leaned toward games such as poker and blackjack, involving both skill and luck, females were more swayed toward games such as keno, slots, and bingo. He also revealed that as a self-appraisal test for gamblers who suspect they may be developing a problem, the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) was being endorsed by a growing group of users.
Nilsson said that, as it was probable that the final UK regulations on responsible gambling would persuade many regulators, international jurisdictions and responsible gaming bodies were closely following the consultations and development on the UK Gambling Act.

Delegates had a busy two days reviewing problem gambler motivations and characteristics identification techniques, interventions in problem gambling issues and practical procedures, and using the techniques on the course agenda in role-playing exercises. The chance for delegates to exchange ideas, procedures and opinions on best practice approaches to effective Responsible Gaming was considered as being a notable feature of the course.

According to Andrew Beveridge, eCOGRA CEO, new eGAP standards had been introduced during the year, and through the practical implementation and use of Responsible Gaming strategies at "Play It Safe" seal venues, eCOGRA intends to raise the industry bar.

Beveridge said that apart from the commercial essential of operating in a caring and responsible manner, when it comes to problem gambling, eCOGRA and the gaming industry have a moral obligation to do something concrete. He added that the industry can stop any negative perceptions through the implementation and use of eCOGRA’s best practice standards and through constructive actions, adding that there are only a few, if indeed any online gambling companies that can now equal the procedures that have been put in place by those subscribing to the eCOGRA standards.

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