GameSecure’s Database Will Protect ‘Self-Excluded’ Individuals Across the Country in Real-Time
Co-founder and CEO of Bencon Technologies Cameron Conn created GameSecure, a program that can partner with operators and regulators in the US market to allow for real-time self-exclusion checks. Today, he discusses how GameSecure will fill in an important gap in responsible gaming practices.
A Family Business
Cameron Conn is a third-generation casino owner based out of Las Vegas. His grandfather was William G. Bennett, the gaming executive who bought Circus Circus Enterprises in the 1970s. Conn’s mother, Diana Bennett, co-founded Paragon Gaming, where Conn worked before starting his own company.
“Gambling is in my blood,” he says. “I want to find solutions that are gonna support this industry that’s been so important to my family, and make sure the longevity and safety of it continues to grow as the industry expands west in this post-PASPA world, both within bricks and mortar and the online gaming space.”
A Black and White Solution to a Gray Area
Conn believes that if someone has the guts to call themselves out on their problematic gaming behavior, the least that the industry can do is ensure that these individuals don’t slip through the cracks: “It’s important for us to educate not only the industry but the players as well, that you shouldn’t be ashamed if you fall into this category, if you do have addictions problems, behavior problems, because the industry should support you. And we want people to come forward and learn more about healthier practices in gaming.”
At the moment, there’s a 72-hour grace period between when people identify as having a problem with gambling and when they’re actually shut off from every single casino or gaming website. This leaves time for them to be sucked back into bad behaviors, which is dangerous for them and for the operators. Moreover, the gaming industry lacks a centralized list of addicts, problem gamblers, and self-excluded players, meaning afflicted individuals in one state may still be able to gamble elsewhere.
“Good responsible gaming should be an extension of customer service… investing in good responsible gaming means that there’s less people harmed, and people being harmed isn’t a good story, and that certainly hurts profits. You don’t want customers to burn out because they’re not exhibiting good behavior.” Cameron Conn
Very soon, GameSecure will be able to fill this gap. With only the date of birth and social security number of any one user, GameSecure’s database will identify individual players who try to access content. When they enter a casino or online gaming space, operators will check GameSecure to see if an individual exists in the database, and if they do, they’ll be barred from gambling content.
“Good responsible gaming should be an extension of customer service… investing in good responsible gaming means that there’s less people harmed, and people being harmed isn’t a good story, and that certainly hurts profits,” says Conn. “You don’t want customers to burn out because they’re not exhibiting good behavior.”
By agreeing to allow GameSecure to integrate its API into the operator’s existing user onboarding system, operators can prove their commitment to the responsible gaming effort. It’s the black and white solution to the gray area of self-exclusion.
On Its Way to Gaming Near You
GameSecure has been in the planning and developmental stages for a while, and now it’s extremely close to being in the marketplace. In the last two and a half years, Conn and his partner, Yasmine Roulleau de la Roussière, have been cultivating relationships with entities like the National Council for Responsible Gaming and other regulatory bodies, working to get them on board with GameSecure’s mission.
Conn hopes that with the help of more investors, he’ll have the product ready to be implemented in the market by G2Ethis year.
Listen to Cameron’s interview on the NO LINE podcast by clicking here.
Follow the progress of GameSecure via their website.
NOTES
● William G. Bennett and Circus Circus
● New Jersey 2013 gambling launch
● Predictive analytics for problem gambling
● G2E (Global Gaming Expo)
Responsible Gaming Education Week
Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW) was created by the AGA in 1998 to increase awareness of problem gambling among gaming industry employees and customers and to promote responsible gaming nationwide.
The AGA and the entire gaming industry realize that education is essential to promoting responsible play and increasing awareness of gambling disorders, and RGEW provides gaming companies with an opportunity to expand on work they do every day educating employees and patrons about the issue.