Responsible gambling expert Mark Griffiths, distinguished professor of behavioural addiction and psychology at Nottingham Trent University, will join GVC Holdings to assist the operator’s responsible gambling strategy.
Griffiths will take on the same title at GVC as he holds at Nottingham Trent and will be tasked with auditing GVC’s responsible gambling policies and suggesting ways in which it can improve its player protection measures.
In addition, Griffith will look into data from GVC’s 160m players, as well as the operator’s partnership with Harvard Medical School, in order to create new rules or policies.
“I’m delighted to be joining GVC at this time because it gives me an unprecedented opportunity to help deliver innovative technological advances supported by evidential scientific research to improve player protection” Griffiths said. “I plan to apply the understanding and specialist expertise built over a long career in psychology to reduce the risks of problem play.”
The appointment follows GVC’s plan to rebrand as Entain and focus more on social responsibility, including the creation of an “Advanced Responsibility & Care” programme, in which GVC said Griffiths would be “instrumental” in delivering.
“We know that the most responsible operator will also be the most successful operator, which is at the heart of Entain and our new strategy,” new GVC chief executive Shay Segev said. “Our investments in new technologies, and partnership with Dr. Griffiths and Harvard, underpin our firm commitment to providing customers with the safest and most enjoyable player experience possible.”
In addition, GVC has announced that in the US it will become the first operator partner of GeoComply’s new multi-state self-exclusion tool, PlayPause. GVC intends to launch PlayPause with its BetMGM brand in the country next year. Last week, GVC also announced that Martin Lycka, currently director of regulatory affairs will take on a new role focusing on the Americas as senior vice president for American regulatory affairs and responsible gambling,
