Content Writer for SEO + Google Search Engine Consultant
Responsible Gambling Marketing Strategist
With more than a decade of experience in online marketing consulting for the casino gaming and sports betting industry, in addition to consultancy with behavioral health providers, I have developed an unmatched expertise in marketing of Responsible Gambling strategy.
Contact me right away via email at live@marcusmaraih.com or call/text 604.767.2137 to discuss your goals, or read ahead first for the most comprehensive guide on RG marketing.
What is Responsible Gambling Marketing?
As it sounds, it is the term used to describe the promotion of a gambling operator’s Responsible Gambling strategy. It implores operators to treat their Responsible Gambling (RG) initiatives as more than a footnote placed on the footer of their respective apps, websites, and digital advertising displays to abide by federal, state, and provincial regulatory requirements. It presents an opportunity for operators to leverage their RG strategy as a value proposition to present to the casino gaming and sports betting public to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Why Participate in Responsible Gambling Marketing?
The Patagonia Model
By definition, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business concept that holds an organization accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public, when it comes to a number of issues. CSR has evolved far beyond an accountability mandate, it has become an important part of marketing for a variety of brands. American eco-responsible outdoor apparel brand, Patagonia, is one such example of this marketing success.
If Patagonia really wanted to have zero impact on the environment, they would make nothing at all. But of course, that allows other companies to continue operating as is, giving consumers no preferred (for the environment) alternative. Would it not be better for Patagonia to therefore run a business and provide consumers with the healthier option? This is exactly what they have done, and what is behind the genius of their marketing strategy. Patagonia isn’t net zero (yet) but they have provided consumers a way to reduce their carbon footprint. This may not be a perfect analogy for RG marketing, but a gambling operator can take a stance, and this stance can be a very effective marketing campaign in itself.
An RG strategy’s take on marketing communications needn’t attempt to distract from the potential for harm to vulnerable population segments of society. Instead, operators can address it in an open forum while showing that in the course of doing business, they are doing their part to mitigate risk.
Would you rather be seen as the Patagonia or the SHEIN of the online gambling industry? If you don’t make your move, your competitor/s will.
The benefits of RG marketing include the following:
- Enhanced public relations, particularly with socioeconomic and sociopolitical groups that oppose, or are on the fence about, gambling.
- Builds trust with the gambling public, while conveying the opposite for your competitors who do not market their RG program.
- Shows gambling regulators that your operation doesn’t just meet, but exceeds mandates regarding their RG requirements. This can help you gain favor with regulators when compared against operators who do not aggressively promote their RG program.
- For gambling adjacent operators, including prediction market trading platforms (currently regulated by the CFTC), it can help prepare for the inevitable migration to partial or sole regulation under state and province gambling commissions.
- Assists with human resource retention, as executives and supporting staff who may question how they feel about their role in promoting gambling to the public feel better when activity including RG in promotional messaging.
HOW TO CREATE A MARKETABLE RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAM
Before you can market your RG program, you must ensure that it can indeed be promoted as a value proposition. And no, your Self Exclusion (SE) program is not enough of an innovative feature to make your RG strategy attractive to the gambling consumers, media, or regulators. Below is a look at what else you need to do.
I. Partner with a Problem Gambling Support Provider
Your commitment to a player who opts-in for your SE program should not end there. Parter with a virtual mental health support provider who specializes in treating problematic gambling behavior so that you can point players who opt-in to SE towards counseling services. This shows a level of commitment to RG and player health that most gambling operators fail to exhibit.
While this may seem likely a purely operational decision, it requires more than vetting a mental health provider to ensure that they are qualified to assess, diagnose, and treat problem gambling (PG) within your player base. You will also need to audit prospective providers’ own marketing strategies t ensure they align with your brand. For instance, those who treat PG may talk poorly about gambling and operators in their own online marketing communications (blog, et cetera) which will reflect poorly on your industry, and you.
How are you to find a virtual PG treatment provider who checks the requisite boxes? My RG marketing consultancy includes connecting your gambling operation to the most qualified problem gambling support providers in the United States and Canada. I work closely with these providers to ensure a match that will meet your distinct goals.
II. Create Educational Tools for Responsible Gambling
A marketable RG strategy must be preventive in nature, not just reactive. Create eye-catching, informative, and clinically-accurate educational tools for your player base that teaches them about each of the following:
- What makes a player vulnerable to developing problematic gambling behavior.
- Signs and symptoms of mild, moderate, and severe problem gambling.
- Steps to take when you think you might have a gambling problem.
Provisioning players with these tools will not only create a value proposition, the digitally documented resources will get picked up by the media and shared with the public, providing your brand with attribution.
I have expertise in creating all of the above RG educational tools, and will create resources that are tailored exclusively to your brand.
III. Partner with Financial + Debt Relief Services
Given that financial strain is the primary motivator for a player to initiate contact with a problem gambling hotline, and to opt-in for your Self Exclusion program, you will also want to partner with an online financial services and debt relief provider. You can point players who opt-in to SE towards financial counseling services. This shows a level of commitment to RG and player health that most gambling operators fail to exhibit.
IV. Partner with Sports Leagues and Organizations
This is important for sports betting and real money daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators. Professional sports leagues and organizations (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, etc.) and the NCAA all have a vested interest in sports betting /DFS, and are also being watched closely by regulators and public health watchdogs. Developing partnerships with them to help market your commitment to RG is mutually beneficial and can exponentially grow your marketing reach.
V. Partner with Game Providers
This is important for casino gaming operators. As with sports leagues/organizations, gaming software providers are being watched closely by regulators and public health watchdogs. In the past (and today in many instances) these gaming providers left RG messaging to gambling operators. But as instances of problem gambling grow among vulnerable populations in the U.S. and Canada, there is an increased call for gaming software developers to incorporate RG messaging into their products. Developing partnerships with them to help market your collective commitment to RG is mutually beneficial and can grow your marketing reach.
HOW TO MARKET YOUR RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING STRATEGY
We now arrive at what you really came here for – your Responsible Gambling market strategy. Remember, your industry is coming into this after having being blasted by critics for treating RG messaging as pharmaceutical company TV commercials do for the side effects of the medications being hocked to the public.
It’s time to elevate your newly enhanced (as per above) RG program above the footer of your app, website, and wherever else your promotional messaging is found. Below is a look at what you need to do.
II. Overhaul Your Responsible Gambling Portal
Your RG landing page/s, including Self-Exclusion page/s, will require a conversion-focused rewrite and redesign to showcase the marketable features of your new and more robust RG program. The RG portal must be treated with the same attention as any promotional page/section on your app and website. Further, the new portal must be optimized to be discoverable on Google, Chat GBT, and all other forms of digital search.
II. Above the Fold
To position your robust RG program as a value proposition, feature it “above the fold” on your app and website. Instead of being tucked into small-print, consider graphics using semantics (within regulatory guidelines) such as “RG Stamp of Approval” to showcase your commitment to player health. This graphic will link to the new RG portal (above). Run a couple of variations in the beginning, complete with analytics A/B testing to gauge potentially positive impact on new visitor conversion.
III. Create Responsible Gambling Ad Campaigns
Updating your website is consider a pull campaign, in that the RG program will be marketed to those who already land on our website and/or have been seeking an operator who is more committed to RG than competitors.
You will want to run push campaigns as well. Actively promote your new RG program via paid ads on Google properties (which now allow gambling related ads) and on META properties, where allowed.
IV. Request RG Promotional Support from Affiliates
Affiliate marketing is a BIG part of the casino gaming and sports betting industry. It is mutually beneficial for operators and their affiliates to promote RG, as the latter is also under the scrutiny to regulators, consumer protection organizations, the media, and the public. Inform your affiliates about your new RG program, and provide them with the marketing collateral (banners, graphics, and assorted content) that they can use on their web properties to promote your new value proposition to the gambling masses.
Ready to get started on your Responsible Gambling market strategy? With more than a decade of experience in online marketing consulting for the casino gaming and sports betting industry, in addition to consultancy with gambling behavior support providers, there is no better person to work with, than yours truly. Let’s begin with a friendly chat about your goals and move forward from there. Reach out for a FREE initial phone consultation.