Entain: Driving change through our new Sustainability Charter

30.08.2021

2020 was a big year for Entain, taking some major steps forward in Safer Gambling and Sustainability with the launch of a new Sustainability Charter, the Entain Foundation and a new cutting-edge player protection Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC) platform. Entain have long held the view that the most sustainable business in the industry will be the most successful business in the industry, and so have put this into action. The Sustainability Charter is based around four cornerstones:

1.     An exclusive focus on regulated markets

By the end of 2023, 100% of Entain’s revenues will be from regulated markets, meaning that they are exiting markets in which there are currently no viable paths to regulation. As of 31 December 2020, 99% of Entain’s revenue was from nationally-regulated or regulating markets, and we have committed to work closely with regulatory authorities in the remaining 1% towards the highest regulatory standards, and exiting those markets where regulation is unlikely.

2.     Continuing to take the lead on responsible gambling

Our technology enables us to continuously upgrade and personalise our protections for customers. As such, we have launched our Advanced Responsibility & Care (“ARC”) platform, a pioneering approach to limit customer exposure to risk at an individual level and enhance their enjoyment across all our products and brands. Using behavioural indicators, data science and analytics to assess risk in betting and gaming, ARC works behind the scenes using advanced artificial intelligence to learn and identify risks in player behaviour so we can intervene before a problem develops.

Since 2018, Entain has monitored customers using markers of protection based on behaviours such as frequency of play, changes in spend patterns and length of time of online play. ARC takes this one step further, implementing new markers and additional checks on, for example, fluctuations in stake levels, erratic play during a single session and signs that a player might be chasing losses. These were identified as potential signs of harm by world-leading academics, such as Harvard Medical School Faculty, Division on Addiction, Dr Michael Auer, from the scientific management of the Gambling Research Centre at the University of Hohenheim in Germany and Dr Mark Griffiths, a Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction and Psychology and gambling support groups taking part in scientific workshops held by Entain earlier this year.

ARC provides unprecedented safeguards for customers of Entain’s online sports betting and gaming brands by minimising problems before they arise and divert customers from risk when needed. If risks are identified the ARC system will guide and positively educate players through a more personalised safer gambling experience with tailored interventions to fit their individual behaviour, alterations to products offerings and by providing an invisible safety net. This revolutionises conventional thinking around responsible gaming and is the beginning of a new era of more personalised and proactive, technology-driven player protection, widely applicable across many forms of online sports betting and gaming entertainment. ARC is currently rolling out in the UK and will be rolled out to our international customers towards the end of 2021.

Additionally in 2021, a responsible gambling metric has been incorporated into Entain’s annual group wide bonus conditions to demonstrate its corporate commitment to safer gambling.

3.     Pursuing the highest standards of corporate governance

Recognise that to be a world-leading company needs to adhere to the highest standards of governance in all areas of operations, Entain has strengthened and revitalised its Board over the last two years, notably with Barry Gibson becoming Chairman in February 2020.  Entain now has a robust corporate governance structure and policies in place that befit its status as a top FTSE 100 company.

4.     Investing in our people and local communities

Entain has a long history of recruiting, retaining and nurturing the best people in the industry as well as a commitment to diversity, looking after our people, and creating the best place to work.

As well as internal commitments, in September 2020, Entain also launched “Pitching In”, a major new multi-million-pound investment programme designed to support and promote grassroots sports – at a time when football clubs and sporting organisations were facing the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their finances. Introduced by the Entain Foundation (formerly the GVC Global Foundation) the multi-million-pound, multi-year, investment programme kicked-off  with a flagship partnership with The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues – collectively known as The Trident Leagues – which make-up levels seven and eight of the English football league pyramid.

Following the launch of the “Pitching In” Investment Programme, Entain’s highly successful existing multi-year collaboration with SportsAid also became an important part of Pitching In.  Through this partnership, Entain supports 50 aspiring athletes a year across England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Throughout 2020, Entain was widely recognised for its commitment to sustainability in a number of ways, including:

• Entain is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and FTSE4Good.
• Entain was named both EGR’s Safer Gambling Operator of the Year and SBC’s Socially Responsible Sportsbook of the Year.
• Entain topped the All-in Diversity project’s index on Diversity & Inclusion.
• Entain’s Carbon Emissions data has been certified by the Carbon Trust. Entain has established a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% between 2018-21 which we are on target to meet.

More information:

• Entain’s ESG Report 2020/21

* This article appeared in EGBA’s recently published Sustainability Report 2020/21.