Launched as part of European Safer Gambling Week 2024, the project will see a Maltese version of BetBlocker’s blocking software created, supporting players in Malta looking to manage their gambling access. The partnership will also help raise awareness of the service.

“We’re delighted to be able to support BetBlocker and the RGF with this important initiative in Malta, particularly in time for Safer Gambling Week,” commented Jake Cachia, Head of Compliance at EveryMatrix.

“EveryMatrix is proud of its commitment to safer gambling and player protection while producing market-leading gaming solutions, and partnerships such as underlining how crucial it is to keep making a difference.”

A UK-registered charity, BetBlocker blocks a device from accessing over 85,000 gambling websites and 1,500 gambling apps. A free-to-use app, the service can be used anonymously and it currently supports tens of thousands of active users.

Duncan Garvie, Founder and Trustee for BetBlocker, noted: “One of the biggest challenges for BetBlocker is ensuring that a technologically complex app is as simple as possible for users to set up. Currently, BetBlocker can take a user from download to blocked in under two minutes.

“But that is only the case where the user finds the set-up instructions easy to engage with. Where a user is able to access BetBlocker in the language that they are most confident in, the chances of them converting to an active block is far higher. 

Garvie continued: “We’re really grateful to EveryMatrix and the RGF for their partnership on this project. It significantly improves the options for Maltese players and will go a long way in terms of raising awareness of the support that BetBlocker offers amongst MGA licensees.

“We hope that in the future, the MGA will advance their player protection standards with the inclusion of requirement for licensees to signpost blocking software to ensure players are aware of this option.”

Kevin O’Neill, General Manager for the Responsible Gaming Foundation, added: “The Responsible Gaming Foundation is proud to collaborate with BetBlocker and Everymatrix on this initiative, furthering our mission to support safer gambling practices in Malta.

“Translating BetBlocker into Maltese is a significant step towards accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that players can effectively manage their gambling habits in their native language.

“This project demonstrates the power of partnerships in enhancing player protection and underscores the importance of providing players with tools that promote responsible decision-making.

“As we launch this initiative during European Safer Gambling Week 2024, we remain committed to contributing to an environment where innovative solutions, such as BetBlocker, can meaningfully impact safeguarding our community.”

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“A dedicated Portuguese language tool that helps those having difficulty with gambling will be most welcome both in Portugal and the newly regulating Brazillian market. It is a great service to show in our dedicated Player Protection Zone at SBC Summit and I look forward to hearing Duncan speak at our Player Protection Symposium.”

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The collaboration hopes to minimise gambling-related harm on Stake’s online casino platform while promoting responsible gambling, with Stake agreeing to promote the tool on its website.  

A representative from Stake commented: “At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining and customer-centric experience, while acknowledging the importance of responsible gambling. Strengthening our relationship with BetBlocker plays an integral role in ensuring their product serves to benefit our customers.”

BetBlocker allows users to block access to thousands of gambling platforms. The tool uses a calendar feature, with players able to block themselves from gambling in advance by setting specific durations for their restricted access. 

Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships at BetBlocker, said: “BetBlocker is thrilled to collaborate with Stake to expand the reach of our software. We are delighted that Stake is taking a significant step forward in promoting responsible gambling.”

Stake has formed the collaboration to strengthen its commitment to responsible gambling, adding the tool to several options available to players wishing to protect themselves from problem gambling, such as self-assessments, gambling limits and self-exclusion. 

Meanwhile, Stake recently enhanced the content offered via its online casino platform, gaining content from over 120 suppliers by forming an alliance deal with aggregator Hub88 last month. 

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This will see consumers of the not-for-profit charity be able to set restrictions on gaming activities across all of their devices at no cost, which will apply across thousands of sites, regulated or not, anywhere in the world.

“BetBlocker’s contributions to safer play are commendable and DraftKings is pleased to team up with this enterprising and disruptive not-for-profit that is advancing responsible gaming in a comprehensive and consumer friendly way,” noted Chrissy Thurmond, Senior Director of Responsible Gaming at DraftKings. 

“We share BetBlocker’s vision that technology and innovation are critical to promoting safer play, and we extend a warm welcome to BetBlocker as they build their footprint in North America, following widespread success across the pond.”

BetBlocker technology allows users to download the software anonymously without having any of their personal data stored. Consumers are empowered to use the software to manage how long or in what capacity they choose to play, including choosing a range of restriction lengths (1-5 days, 1-3 weeks, 1-6 months, 1-5 years) or using the calendar blocking functionality.

“BetBlocker is thrilled to have the support of sports betting and gaming industry giant, DraftKings, to extend our software outside of the UK and Europe, to players in the United States and Canada,” commented Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships of BetBlocker. 

“We’ve been impressed with DraftKings’ leadership in responsible gaming and we are grateful for their collaboration and financial support as we look to expand awareness of safer play technology. 

“We encourage other operators to follow DraftKings’ example of going above and beyond what is required region by region, to ensure all players have the knowledge and tools to bet responsibly.”

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The introduction of a responsible gambling app entirely in Dutch is said to mark a “natural progression” of the BetBlocker service.

The firm, a UK registered charity, allows users to restrict themselves from accessing remote gambling services entirely via a continuous block, or to manage when they can access gambling by scheduling when the restriction switches on/off, to offer protection during periods of vulnerability.

Duncan Garvie, founder and trustee of BetBlocker, explained: “Expanding BetBlocker to other language markets has always been a clear objective for the service. The most significant barrier to taking this step is providing native language support, due to the staffing costs involved.

“The partnership with L&L Europe is a symbiotic relationship that both allows BetBlocker to focus the funding we receive on improving and expanding the protections that our app offers while L&L Europe demonstrate their commitment to responsible gambling, providing translation services to allow Dutch users to access BetBlocker in the language they are most comfortable with.

“We hope that this will be the first of many such partnerships with the industry that will allow us to offer our service in a variety of languages.”

The partnership sees L&L Europe provide resources to translate the BetBlocker website and application, with the group to also assist in making sure Dutch customers can get support in their native language.

L&L Europe, which has been promoting BetBlocker to UK customers since 2018, previously said that the lack of software availability in the Dutch language that can be used to block gambling related websites is “a massive gap that needs to be closed”.

Jan Wienk, marketing manager and head of product development for L&L Europe, added: “How a simple question like: ‘Is there a gambling block application available in the Dutch language?’ results in such an amazing and well executed project. 

“Extremely proud to be collaborating with BetBlocker & “Pas op met Gamen en Gokken” founder Feite Hofman. An online casino operator has a duty of care, and this project completion shows we have. This truly shows we’re not only compliant within the field of responsible gambling, but we also take the extra step.”

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The partnership will see L&L Europe provide resources to translate the BetBlocker website and application, with the group to also assist in making sure Dutch customers can get support in their native language.

“The BetBlocker tool is useful for any player who needs help to manage their gambling regardless of where in the world they live,” stated Duncan Garvie, trustee and founder of BetBlocker.

“We have wanted to expand BetBlocker into other languages for a long time. However the challenges of sourcing charitable funding limits our capacity to provide multi-language support, and with the majority of our funding coming via the UKGC licensing system, that funding has to be targeted towards supporting UK players primarily.

“This new cooperation with L&L Europe is ground-breaking, allowing BetBlocker to support native Dutch speakers. It creates a sustainable strategy to allow us to reach Dutch users, something that we could not have managed without the support that L&L Europe have offered.”

L&L Europe, which has been promoting BetBlocker to UK customers since 2018, says that the lack of software availability in the Dutch language that can be used to block gambling related websites is “a massive gap that needs to be closed”.

Jan Wienk, marketing manager and head of product development at L&L Europe, added: “Really looking forward to kick-off this project and enhancing an already proven safer gambling tool, recognised by the UKGC as effective support for problem gamblers as part of their recovery program. 

“It is also great that further commitment to develop this product coming from Feite Hofman, owner of ‘Pas op met gamen en gokken/Be careful with gaming and gambling’ offering his full support to this project.”

PoGG is an awareness organisation in the Netherlands that gives lived experience education and information to young people, casinos and other organisations, regarding the risks and dangers of gaming.

Hofman added: ‘A safer gambling tool like ‘BetBlocker’ doesn’t exist in the Dutch language, as far as I know. I’m glad to deliver my part at this project, although we know that safer gambling tools are not the solution for gambling addiction. It will definitely enlarge the awareness about the risks of gambling too much.”

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This forms part of the group’s annual research, entertainment and treatment contribution, a voluntary funding model through which it supports work in advancing player protection measures and research into treatment of gambling-related harm. The company also supports several other initiatives and donates to GambleAware.

“We take player protection extremely seriously at Greentube and constantly work to ensure that we contribute to advance this crucial area of our industry” noted Trevor De Giorgio, chief legal officer at Greentube.

“BetBlocker is a fantastic tool that helps players control their gambling and we are very impressed with how the product has been enhanced over the year to offer even stronger protection.”  

BetBlocker provides a free-to-use application that players can install on their devices to block access to a vast number of gambling websites. The charity is funded entirely by donations.

The group says that its “software has been upgraded substantially,” with a calendaring system introduced in a bid to give players greater control over when to turn the block on and off at times when they feel more vulnerable. 

The iOS app platform has also been improved “significantly”, with an aim of ensuring stronger protection for players wanting to control their gambling habits.    

Duncan Garvie, manager at BetBlocker, added: “We are extremely grateful that Greentube has decided to continue to support our important project. The industry donations we receive are crucial as it helps us further improve the tool and makes it even easier for players to control or restrict their gambling activities. We have a number of projects in the pipeline and Greentube’s donation will help us take BetBlocker to the next level.”

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Alongside those increasing numbers, however, was a heightened spotlight placed upon responsible gambling and the need to ensure players and correctly and fully protected when partaking in such activities. 

In the culmination of a two-part mini-series with Duncan Garvie, manager at BetBlocker, we continue the conversation by looking at increased protections, additional measures and VIP schemes. 

Garvie, however, begins by asserting: “One thing that I’m wary of doing is representing myself or BetBlocker as some form of ‘expert’ on gambling addiction or responsible gambling. We are not qualified to make that claim. 

“BetBlocker is a simplistic solution to a complex problem. It is far from foolproof. We simply saw an obvious service that should be made available to gambling addicts free of charge, and set out to ensure that service was made available.

“There are many academics and experts that can provide deep insight into the workings of addiction and are far more qualified than ourselves to give informed insight into how we as a society can help limit the damage that addiction causes. Any answer I give here is given from a limited perspective on the problem.”

“The better informed everyone is the more likely people are to make well informed decisions”

Before moving on to look at how the industry could better work together to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable players: “With the above acknowledged, I do feel making a bigger effort to ensure that all players are aware of the various responsible gambling tools that are available would be a significant step forward in helping players to get hold of problematic behaviours before they become damaging.

“Significant portions of the industry are unquestionably starting to see this – we are speaking to numerous groups who are now looking to include information on services, like BetBlocker, in the information they provide to their players at relevant stages during the lifespan of a player, and have teams that are actively working to find out how they can best support players. The better informed everyone is the more likely people are to make well informed decisions.

“Alongside this, while some regulatory agencies have started tightening rules related to the management of players with addiction issues others could certainly tighten their requirements substantially. 

“One of the most significant potential improvements that could be seen for vulnerable players (outside of the UK and Swedish markets) would be for regulators to insist that where a player self-excludes with an online operator, that the self-exclusion is then automatically enforced at all properties on the license. 

“There is no good reason that a gambling company should be allowing known gambling addicts access to their services simply due to a change in url. The technology is available today to take reasonable measures to prevent this and there is no good reason not to engage it.”

“This is a question of balance”

VIP schemes have found themselves under the microscope as scrutiny grows, with the UK Gambling Commission launching a consultation on VIP customers last month, which seeks to consider the proposed changes to the rules that operators must abide by when transacting with high value customers

“This is a question of balance,” Garvie begins when offering his take. “Every service industry has preferred customer schemes intended to encourage particularly valuable customers to come back to them rather than move to a competing service.

“The flip side to this is that it is unquestionable that for many of those people who ultimately experience addiction issues with gambling, VIP programs have played a roll in the escalation of their problem by incentivising them to engage with gambling beyond a point that was healthy or reasonable for them. In my opinion these factors both have to be taken into consideration when considering this subject.

“Telling a business that it cannot incentivise good customers is a restriction that is likely to be detrimental to many consumers who are not at risk. You are seeing this in some markets restricting promotions – massive rises in the popularity of unlicensed rogue operators who offer bonuses that their licensed counterparts cannot and take no interests in the welfare of players. 

“But allowing these incentives to be offered without consideration for the potential consequences is to absolve the business of any duty of care to potentially vulnerable people. Finding the line between over-regulation that will drive large sections of the population to the black market and ensuring that operators use promotional incentives in a responsible fashion is a challenge I personally do not envy any regulatory authority.”

“…The incentives being offered in VIP schemes are obviously something that players want”

Before concluding by looking at what actions would be recommended regarding such schemes, are additional measures necessary or would an outright ban be the way forward?

“Trying to balance protecting vulnerable people against freedoms, it would seem to me that an outright ban asserts that everyone classified as a ‘VIP’ should automatically be presumed to have addiction issues, or that they will have if they are offered promotional incentives to play,” he says.

“That doesn’t seem reasonable and the incentives being offered in VIP schemes are obviously something that players want, otherwise there would be no demand for them.

“That said, where an operator is going to offer incentives to encourage gambling it certainly seems appropriate that the expectations on the operator to monitor account activity and ensure that play is affordable to the ‘VIP’ should significantly increase. 

“This would likely mean that VIP programs are scaled back (limited to fewer players) as there would be a greater monitoring workload for the operator and that ‘VIP’ categorised players would be subjected to more invasive affordability checks.

“In the above manner, VIP incentives could still be offered but in a more controlled fashion that looked to ensure that problematic responses to any incentives being offered were more quickly identified and acted on.”

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This was followed up by the company, which provides a free app that allows users to restrict their internet capable devices from accessing over 12,400 gambling operator websites, receiving a donation from Novomatic’s interactive division Greentube as part of its annual research, entertainment and treatment contributions.

In the first of a two part mini-series CasinoBeats spoke to Duncan Garvie, manager at BetBlocker, to delve into the details of these two developments, as well as taking a look at the much discussed problem gambling rates during lockdown.

“I honestly could not stress enough how much difference the UKGC’s recognition of BetBlocker as a responsible gambling charity has made to the service,” Garvie begins, before offering a deeper insight into the working of the group.

“For those of your readers who are not familiar with the mechanics of the UKGC licensing system, the license requires that licensees make an annual donation to charities that the regulator have acknowledged in each of three categories – Research, Prevention and Treatment. [Note – this is slightly confused by the fact that Prevention is exchanged for Education, contributing the ‘E’ in ‘RET’ in some documentation]. 

“BetBlocker is entirely reliant on the support of donors”

“The regulator does not place any stipulation as to how much these donations have to be, simply that there has to be a donation.

“As a charitable entity BetBlocker is entirely reliant on the support of donors to keep the service operational. The introduction of the UKGC’s approval list for suitable charities presented both a significant barrier and huge opportunity for the service. 

“The practical realities for any charitable organisation within the UK market looking to obtain donations from UK licensed operators is that any budget that an operator sets aside for philanthropic cooperation is going to be directed to those organisations that the regulator has designated as appropriate. Obtaining that approval was fundamentally essential to the long term prospects for BetBlocker.

“Beyond this fundamental mechanic however, BetBlocker was – and still is – a small operation that is growing its profile within the industry. Being recognised by the regulator in this fashion has opened a lot of doors for us. 

“There are many good causes that gambling operators can choose to contribute to and the people in charge of those budgets are contacted frequently by the organisations – including BetBlocker – that are looking for support. The regulator’s approval provides a legitimacy that simply was not present before the publication of the regulator’s approved list.”

BetBlocker relies on charitable contributions from industry stakeholders, government and corporate interests, and individuals wishing to help them in the fight against problem gambling.

“I would directly attribute every donation that we’ve received to date to gaining the regulator’s approval”

Last month the group asserted that every penny that is donated is spent on improving or maintaining the app, with the Greentube donation being invested in making the iOS app more challenging to bypass.

“In short I would directly attribute every donation that we’ve received to date to gaining the regulator’s approval,” Garvie continues.

“The Greentube donation made a huge difference to our service. We have tens of thousands of devices actively using BetBlocker at the present time. This increases every month and has sharply risen during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

“Even without improving the service – and we always have updates and improvements we would like to make – there is a running cost in maintaining our servers and ensuring that we have sufficient resources to ensure that the VPN that is required to provide the restrictions that BetBlocker offers is adequate for managing the number of devices connected to it. Donations from organisations like Greentube quite literally keep the lights on.

“It may seem dramatic, but when an operator make a donation to BetBlocker they are directly impacting the lives of thousands of people, many of whom are desperately trying to quit gambling and who rely on BetBlocker to help them control access to an activity that can be hugely self-destructive for them. We cannot thank those organisations who choose to donate to us enough!”

“I’m wary of critiquing anyone’s response to this situation”

Much has been said and written regarding problem gambling rates and lockdown, with problem gamblers themselves telling the BBC that measures were a “recipe for disaster”. 

Garvie ends part one by offering his own views on this, as well as on actions taken by operators and regulatory authorities: “This is a tough question to offer any hard and fast answer to. There is no question that the COVID-19 lockdown has been a bad thing for many gambling addicts.

“The lack of other available activities leaves ‘playing a little’ seem more attractive. And traffic on the BetBlocker website has reflected this, nearly doubling since the start of the lockdown.

“However, I’m wary of critiquing anyone’s response to this situation. The simple truth is that short of stopping the lockdown and allowing everyone to go back to their normal activities – which would have resulted is massive additional loss of life – there are limited ways in which the increased interest in online gambling could have been mitigated over this period. Fighting human nature is rarely effective.

“The industry were quick to respond to the situation in as far as ensuring that their advertising partners were not engaging strategies intended to use to virus to acquire additional traffic.

“Beyond this, the industries decision to switch out their regular TV advertisements for adverts that focused on the responsible gambling tools that their services made available will have improved awareness of these tools. 

“The truth is that a shockingly large number of gamblers do not know about the support systems that are available to them if they do find their gambling is becoming problematic.
Whether more could have been done – that’s a question for smarter people than myself. The psychologists researching the behavioural expressions of addiction and those analysing the data to observe patterns.”

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BetBlocker relies on charitable contributions from industry stakeholders, government and corporate interests, and individuals wishing to help them in the fight against problem gambling.

Novomatic’s interactive division made the donation as part of its annual research, education and treatment programme, undertaken as part of a voluntary funding model required by the UKGC through which it promotes work in advancing player protection measures and research into treatment of gambling-related harm.

In a media release BetBlocker officials offered further information on the improvements to be felt as a result of the donation: “Every penny that is donated to BetBlocker is spent on improving or maintaining the app. The Greentube donation is being invested in making the iOS app more challenging to bypass.

“Every operating system has its own policies for developers that create different challenges to producing an effective and robust restriction. The simple facts are no operating system wants to allow any developer the facility to lock their app in place on the user’s device. 

“Malicious developers could exploit this functionality to develop virus or malware that once on a device could not be removed. But the very purpose of BetBlocker is to place a restriction between users and reengaging with gambling. One that cannot be removed when the user is vulnerable to relapsing. This makes our job in developing an effective service a challenging one.”

BetBlocker also moved on to address “a startling lack of knowledge about the tools available to help players engage with online gambling in an responsible fashion”.

In research conducted before global lockdowns began, the charity found 46 per cent of people surveyed had gambled within the last four weeks, with 96 per cent of all online gambling said to occur in the home.

Furthermore, only six per cent of those surveyed had ever self-excluded from a gambling operator, with 53 per cent of those surveyed said to not know what self-exclusion was or entailed.

It was added: “With such a high proportion of those engaging with online gambling unfamiliar with the tools available to help them engage with gambling in a healthy manner alongside the likely increased engagement that will result from lock downs, it is more important than ever that the entire industry works together to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable players.

“Further supporting the supposition that the lockdowns could result in increased problematic gambling behaviour, since the beginning of March, BetBlocker has seen more than a 40 per cent increase in traffic visiting our site. 

“Alongside this we have seen at least a fivefold increase in user contacts looking for assistance to remove the app so they can return to gambling. This clearly indicates that there is increased interest in a tool to help restrict online gambling.”

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