Leveraging Positive Friction: Exploring Subtle Innovations to Prevent Significant Harms in Technology

In the midst of the transition between Truss stepping down and a new Conservative Party leader taking over, the responsibility of addressing gambling harm is likely to continue falling on the industry for the time being. Previous efforts to minimize problem gambling have mainly focused on implementing significant measures that directly impact a player’s spending. However, smaller-scale initiatives that restrict the amount of money players can deposit could have a surprisingly substantial impact. If players encounter obstacles when depositing large sums of money consistently, it may provide them with enough time to reflect and reconsider if they should be depositing such amounts. The Behavioural Insights Team’s gambling policy and research unit (GPRU) was established to address issues like this. The GPRU consists of specialists who test methods and approaches aimed at reducing gambling harm, building on the Team’s previous five years of gambling-related work. Headed by Aisling Ní Chonaire, the unit’s overall mission is to discover, test, and scale strategies to minimize all aspects of gambling harm in the UK. Ní Chonaire asserts that seemingly inconspicuous changes proposed by the GPRU can have a significant impact. For instance, their research has shown that simple changes like providing free-text boxes instead of drop-down menus can help individuals establish more effective deposit limits that align with their preferences. This small modification nearly halved the deposit limits people set, making them more realistic and effective. While some changes create friction to limit high spending, it is equally important to remove friction for safety measures. Ní Chonaire believes that gambling operators should take greater responsibility in implementing automatic affordability checks, simplifying the process to avoid driving players away by requiring extensive bank statements. She argues that operators need to ensure that their customers can afford the bets they place on their platforms. While most operators conduct affordability checks for some customers, many people fall through the cracks. Ní Chonaire suggests that frictionless and user-friendly affordability checks should be a standard part of gambling, with the majority of these checks occurring automatically in the background. However, there is a need for more comprehensive action across the sector to help individuals manage their gambling spending. As the upcoming year progresses, BIT plans to focus on this and collaborate closely with banks. Matt Smith, UK head of external affairs at Betknowmore, emphasizes a vulnerability-focused approach, placing greater responsibility on operators rather than affordability providers to obtain a holistic understanding of whether customers are at risk. Smith believes that operators and their affiliates need to engage in more discussions with customers. Assigning responsibility for preventing gambling harm is a key aspect of the ongoing discussions. While operators naturally shoulder a significant amount of responsibility, Ní Chonaire argues that the broader finance sector also plays an undeniable role. Banks, in particular, have a duty to protect all customers and possess a unique overview of their customers’ financial health and spending across multiple gambling operators. Smith expresses optimism about the role of the financial sector, stating that the necessary technology and data already exist to prevent substantial losses. The challenge lies in putting these tools to use. Smith highlights the potential impact of the open banking system, where banks can access customers’ accounts to assess their financial situation when they apply for a loan. Apart from the finance and payments industry, Smith suggests that meaningful change may require intervention from higher authorities. The introduction of a single customer view, to be tested by the Gambling Commission in the coming months, could offer a comprehensive solution to harmful gambling behind the scenes. Smith explains that this solution would enable operators to view an individual customer’s activity across different platforms. Currently, a person can deplete their funds with one operator and then move on to another, repeating the cycle. A single view would allow all operators to observe a customer’s activity. However, both Ní Chonaire and Smith acknowledge that improvements are needed even before the implementation of a single customer view. Ní Chonaire highlights the proactive steps taken by key players such as Monzo, who developed their own Gambling Block tool to assist customers seeking to abstain from gambling. Smith emphasizes the importance of collaboration and stricter measures, particularly in conducting checks for individuals with gambling problems.