Turning Awareness into Action: Embedding Safer Gambling into Every Layer of iGaming

As Safer Gambling Week returns, operators and suppliers are looking beyond awareness campaigns to embed long-term responsibility into everyday practice. In this roundtable, Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development at Habanero Systems, and Roxane Scicluna, Director of Group Compliance at Greentube, discuss how the industry’s approach to safer gambling has evolved, the role of data and technology in identifying risk, and the cultural shifts needed to protect both players and employees.

How has the conversation around safer gambling evolved over the past decade, and what progress has stood out most to you?

AL: “The discussion around safer gambling has matured enormously over the years. What once felt like a compliance checkbox has evolved into a genuine commitment to responsible entertainment. We now see a stronger focus on sustainability, transparency and player care, which shapes how games are built and how companies define success. The biggest progress is that player protection has become part of creative and commercial thinking rather than something added on afterwards. It shows how far the industry has come in making responsibility part of its DNA.”

RS: “Over the past decade, the conversation has undergone a significant transformation – both in tone and in substance. What was once largely framed as “responsible gambling,” often approached as a regulatory checkbox exercise, has matured into a broader, more proactive commitment to “safer gambling.” This shift reflects a deeper understanding of gambling-related harms and a growing expectation that operators and suppliers go beyond minimum compliance to actively prevent harm.

“The progress that stands out most is the growing alignment between commercial success and player protection. Increasingly, operators understand that long-term sustainability depends on safeguarding player wellbeing. This cultural shift, from compliance-driven to values-driven, is perhaps the most encouraging sign that safer gambling is no longer a peripheral concern, but a central pillar of responsible industry growth.”

Beyond compliance, how can operators and suppliers use data and technology to identify risk and promote responsible gaming more effectively?

AL: “Technology allows us to see the full picture of player behaviour and act before problems arise. For us, scalability and modular design make it easy to adapt to each market’s regulatory framework, but the real value lies in the insight it brings. By understanding how players interact across different regions we can tailor experiences that are both enjoyable and safe. It is not just about meeting requirements but about using data intelligently to learn, predict and respond. When innovation and responsibility work hand in hand, the outcome is better for everyone, especially the player.”

RS: “There is a clear shift in the industry toward using data and technology not just to enhance entertainment, but to personalise safer gambling experiences. The same tools that help operators understand player preferences – recommending games, tailoring promotions, and optimising user journeys – are increasingly being explored to understand risk profiles and deliver more targeted interventions.

“This presents a valuable opportunity to rethink how we support players. Just as we personalise gameplay, we can begin to personalise care, offering tools and interactions that are suited to each individual’s behavioural patterns and risk indicators. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a key role in this evolution. It allows us to detect complex behavioural patterns, automate responses, and tailor safer gambling tools, such as deposit limits, reality checks, or cooling-off periods, in ways that feel intuitive and relevant to the player. However, this approach must be balanced carefully with privacy and data protection considerations. Profiling via the use of AI must be transparent, ethical, and governed by strong internal controls to ensure risk mitigation, trust and fairness.”

How can companies protect employee well-being while maintaining a strong commitment to player safety?

AL: “Player protection and employee well-being are closely linked. You cannot have one without the other. At Habanero, we have always believed that when people feel supported and inspired, they make better decisions for players and partners alike. We prioritise open communication, flexible working practices and regular training to keep everyone informed and connected to our purpose. When teams understand why responsibility matters it becomes a shared value rather than a policy. A company that looks after its people naturally creates a safer and more ethical environment for everyone.”

RS: “Employee well-being is not just a parallel priority to player safety; it is a foundational part of any effective safer gambling strategy. At its core, safer gambling is a people-driven initiative, and the individuals tasked with delivering it carry a significant responsibility. Supporting them adequately is essential for both ethical and operational reasons. Firstly, employees working in player protection roles are entrusted with a highly sensitive and often emotionally demanding task.

“Their decisions can have a direct impact on the well-being of customers, and the weight of that responsibility can be considerable. One misstep – even if well-intentioned – can have serious consequences for a vulnerable player. Companies must recognise this pressure and provide robust support systems to help employees manage it. This includes regular training on self-care and resilience, access to mental health professionals, and the presence of trained mental health first aiders within the organisation. Policies that safeguard psychological wellbeing, such as care plans invoked after handling critical-risk cases, are also crucial to prevent burnout and emotional fatigue.”

How important is collaboration between regulators in turning awareness into real, measurable change?

AL: “Collaboration is essential. Regulation has real impact when it comes from dialogue rather than distance. Every market has its own personality, but shared learning helps us move forward together instead of apart. When regulators and industry stakeholders exchange insights we can build a more consistent and effective framework for player protection. Cooperation also helps innovation thrive within safe boundaries and creates trust on both sides. The closer we work together the easier it becomes to make safer gambling part of everyday practice rather than discussion.”

RS: “Collaboration between regulators is invaluable to the advancement of safer gambling across the industry. While each jurisdiction may have its own regulatory framework and interpretation of what constitutes an effective safer gambling strategy, the core objective remains the same: to ensure the offering of an environment in which customers can enjoy gambling in a safe and secure manner.

“The challenge arises when regulatory fragmentation creates complexity for operators and suppliers working across multiple markets. Diverging requirements can lead to inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and in some cases, confusion about what best practice looks like. When regulators engage in close communication and share insights, learnings, and approaches, it becomes easier to align on common principles, even if full harmonisation is not immediately achievable.

“Greater alignment across jurisdictions allows licensees to deploy safer gambling initiatives more efficiently, reusing tools and frameworks across markets while dedicating more time and resources to refining and enhancing their impact.”

Looking ahead, what does a responsible and sustainable gaming ecosystem look like for both players and the people behind the industry?

AL: “A sustainable future is one where enjoyment and responsibility exist in harmony. Games should be exciting, social and creative while still protecting players from harm. That is the direction the industry is moving in, and it is an encouraging shift.

“For the people behind the scenes, sustainability means stability, pride and purpose, knowing that their work contributes to something positive and lasting. A responsible ecosystem gives everyone from players to developers the confidence that this industry can entertain responsibly and grow with integrity.”

RS: “A responsible and sustainable gaming ecosystem is one where safer gambling is not treated as an add-on or a regulatory obligation, but as an intrinsic part of the core product offering. It is embedded into the design, delivery, and culture of the industry – shaping how games are built, how players are engaged, and how companies operate internally. For players, sustainability means being able to enjoy gambling in moderation, over the long term. It is about fostering habits that are recreational and controlled, rather than intensive and short-lived – avoiding the “crash and burn” cycles that can lead to harm. This requires a shift in how we define success: not by short-term spend, but by long-term engagement that is healthy and balanced.

“Ultimately, a sustainable gaming ecosystem is one where commercial success and player protection are not in conflict, but in alignment. It is a future where safer gambling is seamlessly integrated into the player journey, where employees are supported in their mission, and where the industry thrives by putting care at the centre of its growth strategy.”

Can you share some of the key initiatives or programmes your company has introduced to strengthen safer gambling practices?

AL: “Responsibility is built into every stage of what we do. Our platform was designed to adapt easily to regulatory frameworks around the world, meaning safeguards like session limits and reminders are already part of the player experience. That flexibility allows us to stay compliant without slowing innovation. Internally we invest heavily in education to ensure our teams understand both the letter and the spirit of safer gambling principles. It is a continuous process of learning and improvement rooted in a simple goal, to deliver entertainment that players can trust and enjoy safely.”

RS: “By taking a multi-dimensional approach to safer gambling, we have embedded it into our structure, technology and culture. We shifted from a multi-jurisdictional model to market-specific compliance managers and player protection teams, supported centrally, allowing us to tailor our approach to each market.

“Significant investment has gone into technology for early detection, using external behaviour monitoring and developing an in-house tool that identifies markers of harm and triggers automated actions, supported by human oversight through manual reviews. Training remains a cornerstone of our strategy, with layered programmes and cross-training to help teams recognise and escalate markers of harm. We also contribute to wider industry efforts through key associations and recently registered with GamProtect in the UK to support cross-operator protection initiatives.

“Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to building a safer, more sustainable gaming environment – one that protects players, empowers employees, and contributes to the long-term health of the industry.”