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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been one of the biggest talking points in betting and gaming in 2022, particularly permeating discussions around player protection. 
As European authorities become ever more vigilant to customer safety and the North American sector expands rapidly, Mindway AI’s Business Development Manager Paula Murphy broke down how emerging tech can be the gamechanger the industry needs in this two-part interview.
AI powered partnerships
Addressing Mindway AI’s operational focus, and how it delivers its solutions to operators and works with like minded companies, Murphy explained that the firm sets out to ‘view all customers as partners’.
Perhaps one of the main benefits to AI technology is the ability to ‘train’ the technology to meet different environments. This allows them to tailor its service to the specific needs of its operator clients, varying across different player bases.
Murphy continued: “The solutions we offer, GameScanner and Gamalyze are not off the shelf systems, and as such operators can work with us and tailor them to their requirements.
“Problem gambling doesn’t change, but cultural behaviour does. We’re currently working with operators across 20+ jurisdictions. You get very different cultural environments in Brazil than you would in Denmark for example.”
Versatility is also a key objective of Mindway AI’s offering, applying not just to the vast online markets but also to land-based casino and bookmakers, using the neuroscience-based self test Gamalyze.
This flexibility is being applied to emerging tech too, Murphy continued: “There are also more novel products appearing on the market, with other behavioural nuances that need to be built in..
“Ultimately our system is based in science, research and human expertise, and the end result of that is a virtual psychologist which can address the complexities of problem gambling cases.”
Although Mindway AI has a history of working with many operators, one of the firm’s more prominent partnerships to date has been with harm minimisation consultancy EPIC Risk Management.
Struck earlier this year, the partnership aims to combine Mindway’s AI expertise with EPIC’s training programmes – Mindway identifies the at-risk customers, and EPIC shows operators how best to interact.
“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with EPIC,” Murphy explained. “The quality of what they do is best in class, and it’s a good fit because we have a shared view and mindset.”
“They have a genuine desire to actually help and make a difference, driven by wanting to protect players as many of their team have lived experience of gambling related harm. You can’t get better than working with the people who are in it for the right reasons.”
“We also have a number of customers in common and so we have been working together for some time because of this. It seemed like natural progression, and we both recognised that knowledge sharing leads to innovation and development.”
Where next for AI?
Like many other companies in betting and gaming, Mindway AI is paying close attention to stateside developments, where a ‘number of operators’ are taking AI tech on board.
As Murphy underlined, with the continuing development and expansion of the US betting industry, a need for enhanced player protection will surely follow.
Given the extensive technology industry in the US, home to the world famous Silicon Valley and regional scenes in Illinois, New York, Texas and more, the willingness of firms to embrace emerging technologies such as AI for this purpose is somewhat unsurprising.
“We have noticed a readiness to embrace technology,” she said. “Operators want to get involved and see what they can do in that space. Regulators are also coming up with protection requirements, but there are different approaches state-by-state.”
“Colorado is very outcome-based at the moment, stating that detection is required but not yet going into the nuts and bolts of what operators need to do, whilst New Jersey is more prescriptive around it and encourages a tech-based solution. AI is emerging and will be more important as the North American market develops.”
A factor many operators and suppliers have had to acknowledge when joining the US gold rush is the regulatory environment, which as Murphy alluded to, varies across all 50 states, of which over 30 now allow some form of online gambling.
Though some parallels do exist between the US and Europe – for example, operators looking at cross-EU expansion will have to examine different regulatory requirements across the trade block – the federal nature of the former should not be overlooked.
“The state-by-state regulation is very important to take on, it’s a big deal for any operator, and firms need to be mindful,” Murphy observed.
“As an organisation that is entirely focused on responsible gambling we are well placed to keep on top of regulation, it’s a main consideration for us.”
Part of the Better Collective group and active in over 20 jurisdictions, Mindway AI is no stranger to navigating international markets and cross-border requirements.
Having grown out of Aarhus University’s specialist neuroscience department, Mindway became further integrated into Better Collective in 2021 when the betting media group extended its shareholding to 90%.
Operating as part of Better Collective’s network is a ‘good cultural and organisational fit’, Murphy remarked, adding: “Mindway was a strategic acquisition for Better Collective, but when you look at their business model you can see exactly why they were interested.”
“Better Collective is committed to safer gambling and building a sustainable industry, and we offer access to research and expertise in that space. In return, we have the backing that we need in terms of environment and resources to grow at pace.”
With the US seemingly keen to embrace new technology for player protection, and regulators back in Europe examining how long-established markets can do better in this area, Mindway AI is poised to demonstrate how AI can fill the gaps.
