Earlier this month, renowned gaming and entertainment operator GVC Holdings unveiled its Sustainability Charter, and shortly after that, the company began the journey towards its implementation. Now, GVC Holdings which will soon be known as Entain is the first-ever official partner of PlayPause, a new responsible gambling tool from a non-profit known as Conscious Gaming that provides responsible gambling resources.
PlayPause was launched in September and is currently powered by GeoComply, a geolocation service provider that is widely used in the gambling industry. These partnerships are well-orchestrated which is certainly a good thing especially considering all of the concerns that have been raised about responsible gambling and gambling-related harm in regulated markets.
“We are delighted to be the first official partner of PlayPause. We believe the most responsible operator will be the most successful operator, and PlayPause’s innovative, multi-state approach to responsible gaming in the U.S. aligns with our firm commitment to providing our customers with the safest and most enjoyable experience possible.”
GVC CEO Shay Sevev.
The new initiative will extend to all of GVC’s operations in the United States. These include the Party Casino and Partypoker brands as well as with its Roar Digital, its joint venture with MGM Resorts International. Roar Digital is popular for being the operator of BetMGM, a rapidly growing gaming brand that offers online poker, casino games, and sports betting services.
All of these gaming brands will integrate PlayPause in markets such as Pennsylvania. Unlike other self-exclusion tools currently available in the US, PlayPause takes things a step further by restricting access across every state that the operator is available. People susceptible to irresponsible gambling behavior can therefore not work around it by visiting other states.
GVC’s Plans to Turn Over a New Leaf
GVC Holding’s new Sustainability Charter is pretty extensive which is not too surprising considering the company’s new-found commitment to building a clean reputation. More proof of this lies in its plans to rebrand as it doubles down on compliance and the promotion of social security.
Some of the other things that GVC has committed to include:
- Donating £100 million over the next 5 years to support responsible gambling.
- Gradually exiting all gray or unregulated markets by 2023.
- Launching an Advanced Responsibility & Care (ARC) program.
- Rewarding executives for meeting responsible gambling goals.
As much as the growth of the gambling industry is a good thing, responsible gambling initiatives are vital for sustainability, and it is imposing to see that companies like GVC are taking it very seriously. Hopefully, this will encourage even more companies to do more in that regard.