EQ-Connect aiming for ‘single customer view’ across multiple betting operators to help problem gamblers

Behavioural analytics solution supports ’at risk’ players and the gambling industry by creating a common view of a player’s risk of harm across all UK operators

The UK Gambling Commission is reportedly seeking a universal solution that Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) member operators could employ to give them a common view of a players risk of harm in order to better protect players who bet across multiple accounts. One potential solution has now been developed for the UKGC, operators and players by the UK data specialist EQ-Connect.

EQ-Connect is a behavioural analytics and technology company focused exclusively on safer gambling.  Founded in 2019, it aims to collaborate with the UK online gambling industry to develop a cross-operator view of a player’s risk of suffering gambling related harms. The founding team of industry veterans has developed a credible solution to allow operators to use to better understand risk in a player’s cross operator gambling activity.

EQ-Connect is seeking to collaborate on a pilot project with a number of leading UK operators to deploy a real time platform capable of creating and delivering an aggregated, cross-operator view of any behavioural markers of problem gambling.

This new solution would enable effective, consistent and early interventions by operators when players are most at risk and wherever they choose to play. Aggregating cross-operator real time data delivers clearer insight which leads to better decisions, better interactions, and safer customers.

EQ-Connect was founded to mitigate three core issues:-
1/ How can gambling operators really protect players when they are blind to their activity on every other gambling site?
2/ How can the gambling industry protect players before their play becomes harmful and unaffordable?
3/ How can the operators protect players at exactly the moment they are losing control?

EQ-Connect is funded in part by Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency. It is also a Pending Certified ‘B Corporation’ business, meaning it is well on the way to full certification in the next 12 months. Certified B Corps are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

Will Mace, CEO at EQ-Connect said: “However capable or well-intentioned any single operator is, it is almost impossible for them to really protect at-risk players, when the player can so easily ‘go next door’ and start playing with another operator, or more likely, lots of other operators – who currently have no way of knowing if a new player is at-risk. A welcome bonus could be the straw that break the camel’s back. By creating a common view of risk, players can be protected wherever they choose to play.
This is a very complex project however – and collaboration with a willing industry is the key to success – and to a safer, more sustainable gambling environment for all.”