As part of my ongoing work in promoting responsible gambling, I ran a poll on LinkedIn asking a simple but important question: What’s the most effective way to promote responsible gambling? The goal was to get real insights from people within the gaming and gambling industry, as well as from regular players.
The results were quite revealing. Out of 49 votes, the top choice was in-game messaging and limits, which received 39% of the votes. This was followed by educational content (29%), stronger regulation (24%), and lastly, player self-exclusion tools (8%).
These results show a strong preference for real-time solutions that help players manage their behaviour while they are playing. In-game messages and spending limits are seen as practical tools that can stop problems before they grow. Education also plays a big role—people want to learn how to stay safe and make smart choices. Regulation is important too, but it seems users feel personal tools and knowledge are more effective.
What’s surprising is the low number of votes for self-exclusion tools. These are supposed to help players take a break or stop completely, yet very few believe in them. This raises an important question: Why don’t people trust self-exclusion tools? Is it because they are hard to use, not well-known, or maybe don’t work as promised? This is an area that clearly needs more attention and research.
As we move forward, it’s clear that promoting responsible gambling must include a mix of solutions: practical tools, education, clear rules, and user feedback. Most of all, the voices of players should lead the way.
This poll is just one step in the conversation, but it shows we’re heading in the right direction—one message, one limit, one insight at a time.
