In the three months to 31 December, 2020, Kindred, the operator of Unibet and 32Red, reported that 4.3% of their gross winnings revenue came from at-risk gamblers. As part of their commitment to achieving zero revenue from harmful gambling by 2023, Kindred has decided to publish these figures to increase knowledge and transparency about their sustainability efforts and contribute to a fact-based dialogue about harmful gambling with stakeholders and decision-makers.
Kindred’s chief executive, Henrik Tjärnström, stated that their goal is to ensure that none of their revenue comes from harmful gambling, and they have been actively working towards this for several years. They constantly strive to identify players displaying risky gambling behavior and guide them back to healthier habits. Kindred wants gambling to be simple and enjoyable for everyone.
The figures concerning the improvement effect after interventions are particularly interesting. Kindred has implemented a system to identify changes in a player’s behavior and inform them about tools that can be activated to limit their gambling. In 2020, they conducted approximately 55,000 care calls to educate players about safe and responsible gambling practices, including the option to set deposit limits. After being in contact with Kindred’s Responsible Gambling team, 75.7% of the detected players displayed healthier gambling behavior.
Tjärnström emphasized the importance of reducing harmful gambling, stating that it requires a fact-based, open, and constructive dialogue, especially with decision-makers. He also highlighted the need to increase channelization and reduce the use of unlicensed gambling operators who offer no safety measures for players. A recent study by PWC revealed a significant growth in gambling via unlicensed websites in Britain since 2018.
Further studies have also shed light on the issue. A study conducted by the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention found that the top 1% of gamblers’ deposits averaged 58% of their income. Additionally, German operator Tipico disclosed that only 2% of their turnover comes from problem gamblers, which is lower than the German government’s estimated overall rate of problem gambling in the country.
