In 2021, Kindred committed to the ambition that zero per cent of our revenue should derive from high-risk players who show signs of harmful gambling, becoming the first gambling operator to do so. We track the progress of our ambition and publicly report the share of revenue derived from harmful gambling every quarter. In addition, we report on the share of customers that change their behaviour positively after the intervention has been implemented due to being detected by our responsible gambling prevention system. What was once a time-set project has, over time, developed into a core part of Kindred's DNA.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Kindred's share of the revenue from harmful gambling stood at 3.1 per cent. The healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions was 87.4 per cent compared to 86.7 per cent in the preceding quarter. This enhanced post-intervention result reflects sustained and dedicated efforts over time, which shows if we compare the numbers from Q4 2021, where the effectiveness of our interventions was around 80 per cent while our share of the revenue from harmful gambling stood at 4.0 per cent.
One of the reasons we publish the reporting is to measure our progress in public and facilitate a fact-based discussion. To support a debate based on scientific grounds, we have gathered some opinions about our Journey towards Zero and answered them from our point of view.
It's a common misconception that Kindred's Journey towards Zero is just a PR stunt.
Unfortunately, some may perceive our ambition as a PR stunt. This couldn't be further from the truth. Since February 2021, we have openly reported our numbers. We have a dedicated section on our website, and we have set up a road map for everyone to follow. We have invited researchers to go through our methodology. Adopting a less comprehensive company-wide approach would have been more convenient if it were only for PR. Nevertheless, the commitment, focus, and dedication invested in this initiative is quite evident. The company's work is based on the journey towards zero and is now a part of our DNA.
Systems like PSEDS cannot be used instead of diagnostic tools like the DSM or PGSI.
Since 2012, our Player Safety – Early Detection System (PS-EDS) has provided data that alerts our Responsible Gambling (RG) Specialists if a customer shows risk of harmful behaviour. After an automated detection on a higher risk level by PS-EDS, RG Specialists manually review and asses the identified customer and then the customer is communicated with through, for example, follow up-calls.
Systems like PS-EDS are not intended to replace diagnostic tools such as the DSM, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the PGSI Problem Gambling Severity Index. PS-EDS does not seek to replace these diagnostic tools; instead, it operationalizes the criteria from the DSM to identify various markers of harm. For instance, when the DSM mentions "loss of control," PS-EDS operationalizes it as customers set less restrictive limits. PSEDS is a system designed to incorporate markers of harm inspired by or operationalized from DSM criteria without attempting to replace the DSM or PGSI.
Kindred cannot determine what the prevalence of problem gambling is
Kindred is disclosing the revenue coming from these high-risk groups but cannot in any way determine prevalence rates. You need a national research body to do that through extensive data collection methods. Determining the extent of problem gambling requires extensive research representative of entire populations. What Kindred has undertaken is the identification of three significant groups that can serve as indicators of problematic gambling: self-excluded customers, customers openly acknowledging a gambling disorder, and customers displaying numerous harm-related signs. The objective is to track the financial contributions from these high-risk groups and work towards reducing them.
Our Journey towards Zero ambition guides our journey to zero, and the concept behind it is to progress the problem as much as possible. Progressively, it is important to set an ambition and work towards it daily.
A gambling company can never determine who has a problem.
Kindred doesn’t assert that we possess the ability to identify individuals with gambling issues unless the customer discloses it. Nevertheless, operators can observe certain indicators of harm and activity, which should be used to enhance consumer protection measures. For us, this is something that is taken very seriously in our work with responsible gambling.
