Mr Green new analytics tool helps identify problem gamblers

The online casino and gambling industry has achieved rapid growth in the past few years, with the European market leading the way. The European Commission estimates the EU gambling market is worth approximately €84.9bn, with a yearly growth rate of around three percent. Every month, up to 6.9 million Europeans go online to take part in what is meant to be a fun and entertaining gaming experience.

But at the same time, the online gaming industry has been forced to grapple with the reality that some customers will likely become problem gamblers, with an estimated two percent of the population harboring addictive personality tendencies. Inevitably, some of these individuals will find their way onto online gaming sites and engage in risky behavior. Therefore, green gaming (or responsible gaming) is one of the most important sustainability areas in the industry.

How can the online gaming industry better identify these players, stop risky behaviour before it starts and encourage fun as well as healthy gaming practices? These are questions the majority of gaming companies are only just starting to address.

Re-evaluating risk
A handful of methods have been tested by various gaming companies to limit players’ exposure to risk – from giving players the chance to set budget limits to enforcing time outs. But while many have talked of keeping gaming responsible and ‘green’, few have attempted to confront the problem head on. This is where online casino operator Mr Green hopes to change the paradigm and inspire competitors with its new Green Gaming Predictive Tool.

The Green Gaming Predictive Tool is unique and brings advanced data analytics to the online gaming industry. The tool starts with an optional self-test where players answer a battery of questions about their playing behaviour. From there, players can keep track of their actual playing patterns in real time via a dashboard that indicates whether they are low risk (green zone), medium risk (yellow zone) or high risk (red zone).

Meanwhile, Mr Green analyses customers’ actual playing patterns by measuring variables such as risk, intensity, change and volume. This data is then combined with the customer’s own perception of their playing habits to provide a comprehensive account of the player’s risk profile. Once the customer’s level of risk has been identified, Mr Green adapts its communications to ensure its marketing material doesn’t target those with the potential to develop a gambling problem. Insights from the tool also influence the development of new games, as well as the type of content each customer sees during their playing journey.