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Using the right indicators for your business

Change compared with previous gambling activity is a general trigger for customer interaction. Building up your knowledge of your regular customers is key to helping you spot changes in their behaviour.

You should use a range of indicators. This is not an exhaustive list, but your indicators should include the following.

Time indicators

Amount of time spent gambling, visit frequency or length of stay on the premises, leaving and then returning to the premises.

Spend

Amount and frequency of deposits, large losses, using multiple or more expensive payment methods, declined payments, appearing to spend more than they originally intended.

Behaviour or appearance

Such as signs of distress, agitation, or changes which could be an indication that gambling is having a negative impact on a customer’s wellbeing.

Use of gambling management tools

Previous self-exclusions or previous customer interactions, or playing through machine alerts.

Customer-led contact

Information or hints from the customer, frequent complaints about not winning, or talking about the negative impacts of their gambling.

Play indicators

chasing losses, erratic betting patterns and gambling on higher risk products, or unusual markets or outcomes on which the customer is unlikely to have been able to make an informed choice. People who bet in-play may place a higher number of bets in a shorter time period than people who bet in other ways, as in-play betting offers more opportunities to bet.

A ‘big win’ or a windfall

Research (Parke and Parke 2017) shows high staking following a win could hide or even lead to harmful behaviour. Suddenly having more money than usual can lead to increasing staking, which can lead to harms not associated with wealth or resources.

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Understanding the impact of gambling harms
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Affordability and a customer’s personal circumstances
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