Playtech has built upon its five-year strategy to promote and advance safer gambling after confirming a new collaboration with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC).

The partnership will aim to strengthen industry insights to inform and advance safer gambling, mental health and digital wellbeing, marking one of the first examinations of safer gambling alongside digital wellbeing.

Janine Robinson, Director of RGC’s Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices, commented: “Playtech is an industry leader and we look forward to working together to influence positive change and advance responsible gambling standards.

“The impact of the digital world on mental health is a growing concern for many but one which is currently not particularly well understood. We believe adopting digital resilience and safer gambling behaviours will be an important part of protecting mental health.”

As part of the collaboration, Playtech will support RGC with the examination of links between mental health, digital wellbeing and gambling by using a combination of thought leadership, research, and evaluation of initiatives.

The research will be supported by RGC’s network of ‘regulators, operators, treatment providers and the gambling public across the globe’.

It forms part of the Playtech Protect initiative, which is the omnichannel sports betting solutions specialist’s commitment to ‘place safer gambling at the heart of its core products and services’.

Through the initiative, Playtech has used research, data and technology to develop products to identify at-risk customers through the use of artificial intelligence and to deliver tailored safer gambling interventions to customers based on their personalised risk profiles.

Claire Milne, Interim Chairman, Playtech, added: “The Responsible Gambling Council is a leader in research and best practice standards that drive the gambling sector to build a more sustainable and safe industry for the benefit of all stakeholders.

“As part of our Sustainable Success strategy we aspire to develop meaningful partnerships that will advance the safer gambling agenda. This collaboration will aid us in fulfilling our duty and commitment to use our expertise, experience and technology to promote an industry which provides both an entertaining and safe environment that supports digital and mental wellbeing and resilience.”