Responsible gaming

We believe that trust and freedom are fundamental values when it comes to responsible gaming. As the industry leader, it is our mission to provide the world's safest and most innovative online gaming platform.

A great sense of responsibility is key to our success and is apparent in our player protection measures. Responsible gaming at bwin.party is based on three pillars:

1. Fairness
2. Security
3. Prevention of problem gambling

Together with leading research institutes and healthcare providers, we seek to create measures for player protection and are focused on working towards a responsible, secure and reliable framework for online gaming throughout Europe.

Fairness

Independent authorities closely monitor the fairness and random nature of the gaming products we offer. We design all of our marketing communications to ensure that they are clear and not misleading and that they present a fair gaming offer that promises only what it can deliver. In addition, our dedicated investigations teams and online monitoring, as well as the extensive experience of our bookmakers, ensures protection against fraud and manipulation. To this extent, we cooperate closely with the European Sports and Security Association ("ESSA") to identify suspicious betting patterns and report them within the framework of the early warning system to the responsible sports associations.

Security

We take responsibility for the security of our players. Protection of players is based on guidelines stipulated by the European Gaming and Betting Association ("EGBA"). These guidelines include the exclusion of minors from the product line-up and the protection of privacy, which involves responsible dealings with data and payment processing. We also report any suspicious activity to the relevant authority, in compliance with the EU Money Laundering Directive.

Prevention of problem gambling

The majority of users of sports betting, poker, casino and other gaming offers play in a moderate way, purely as a means of entertainment. However for some, gambling problems can arise. This is especially possible when certain vulnerabilities of the gamer and their circumstances match with properties of the game, and there is no appropriate protection provided from the environment. Therefore, safety precautions in the gaming environment are necessary.

^{© Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance,
a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School}

According to our mission and by means of a fair and responsible product line-up: every user should play within their financial means and receive the best possible service in an environment that provides a multitude of security measures for players to stay completely in control of their gaming.

Based on a body of scientific evidence, the outstanding technological possibilities of the internet could enable us to provide each player the level of protection he needs within a framework of evaluated player protection measures.

Individualised player protection based on a public health framework

To optimally protect players it is not sufficient to offer generalised player protection that treats all players the same. Instead, we require a layered system of player protection, adapted to fit the individual need for protection. We believe that the technology of the internet allows, for the first time, the practical implementation of a layered player protection system based on a Public Health Framework.

Universal prevention is geared to the overwhelming majority of players who display moderate gaming behavior and are able to control it. The major requirement of this group is informed choice. This means that we make available as much easily comprehensible, contradiction-free information as possible about the games, the rules about playing these games and how the games work. We also make available information about addiction issues and responsible gaming. At bwin.party, customers can access all this information easily and directly from their gaming account, providing them with all information they need to play in a responsible way.

Selective prevention is geared to players who actually do not show signs of problem gambling but who, under certain outside circumstances, could develop gambling-related problems. The size of this group is 1-3% of the population. The additional need of this group is control. Thus, it is our mission to actively offer tools that prevent players from losing control over their gaming. Equipped with opportunities to limit and reliably control gaming behavior, any harm these players could do to themselves can be effectively prevented.

Lastly, Indicated prevention deals with problem gamblers who already evidence harm to themselves and who are not able to control their gaming. Based upon recent research, the size of this group is assumed to be less than 1% of the population. The core need of this group is protection. We have taken the responsibility to give these people the opportunity to exclude themselves from any further gaming or to actually exclude them from any gaming at bwin.party for their own protection.

"bwin has taken the industry’s leading position for responsible gaming. The commitment to the scientific process and unwillingness to take shortcuts to achieve short-term gains is noteworthy and indicative of its commitment to the health and welfare of its subscribers."
Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Director, Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School

Although, as a new company, our collective pool of responsible gaming tools and policies for player protection has yet to be formalised, and will remain a dynamic process informed by the best that science has to offer.