GVC Holding Paves the Way for Responsible Gaming

Grainne Hurst, GVC’s head of public affairs, has described how the company has claimed market leadership and paved the way for responsible gaming.

Previously, GVC Holdings was named Entain. Before making that change, the company was the first to invest substantial contributions towards researching, informing, and implementing safer gambling initiatives. Since their bold move, many other of the UK’s top bookmakers followed suit, including William Hill, Sky, and bet365.

This was just the beginning of their stride towards the peak of the iGaming market.

The moves GVC has made in the past have become fully implemented for all gaming operators and solutions providers.

There is a 97% drop in advertising for sports betting in the UK after a ban was placed on TV advertisements. GVC, among some of the most respectable Pay and Play Casinos, was the first to accept this change in full.

A Code of Conduct for VIPs was led in large by GVC, helping the industry’s response towards VIP schemes. The Gambling Commission adopted this Code of Conduct in full, pushing it towards the members of the Betting & Gambling Council last April. Since then, VIP schemes saw a 70% drop in customer signups.

These are just a couple of incredible examples related to GVC. These and more have been led by Grainne Hurst. She has made gambling responsibility one of the top priorities for not only GVC but the entire industry.

Responsible gambling is a relatively new approach for GVC, even with their success.

In March of 2018, GVC acquired Ladbrokes Coral, which opened their eyes to the way legislation works in the UK. Prior to this acquisition, GVC did not dabble in safety initiatives. Nor did they operate in the UK.

With a better understanding of operations in the UK and seeing the FOBT experience that Ladbrokes went through, the COO of GVC Kenny Alexander decided a proactive approach would be best. This is the moment when GVC stepped up their game and led the world of gambling towards a safer, responsible future.

Hurst began the full approach to safer gambling from here, starting at the top.

Hurst recognized that in order to be successful in this approach, it needed to start from the top of the chain. She and her team produced Changing for the Bettor, which included donating £5 million to a research program with Harvard. This helped reveal harm algorithms and eliminate children’s themes from casino games.

Then, Hurst made the decision that all of the company’s revenue must come from regulated markets by 2023. Though 96% of their revenue already comes from regulated markets (as of 2019), it is still a meaningful commitment.

GVC has also launched an Advanced Responsibility & Care program to ensure there is a science to their responsibility approach.

However, there is still a widely negative view towards the industry by the public. To alleviate this hostility, Hurst has committed GVC to donate £100 million in support of grassroots sports and athletes over the next 5 years.

It’s a dedicated approach to safer gambling while ensuring a profitable future for GVC.