Entain has expanded its responsible gambling initiatives into the esports and video gaming spaces.
Entain, the online gambling operator formerly known as GVC Holdings, has expanded its existing partnership with EPIC Risk Management and inked a handful of new deals to extend its responsible gambling initiatives to esports and video gaming.
The companies partnered with Entain now include the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association (CSPPA), and the two mental health groups Kindbridge and Rise Above the Disorder.
Entain’s move into esports and video gaming
The new partnerships will see EPIC, the CSPPA, Kindbridge and Rise Above the Disorder provide players at risk with mental health support service and education. The entities will also work with Entain and the operator’s non-profit charity, the Entain Foundation.
In its announcement, the online gambling operator said its strategy for sustainability and growth highlights its commitment to delivering the highest levels of player safety and player protection across all markets.
The Entain Foundation supports customer protection through a mix of support projects, education, research and data analysis in order to support the operator’s safer gambling strategy.
Entain explained that each of its new partners will aim to bridge the gap between the demand and availability of affordable professional, individual therapy and care.
Entain’s partners
EPIC Risk Management, which is an international consultancy that focuses on the prevention of gambling-related harm, is already partnered with The partnership will now be extended to address video gaming and esports.
The CSPPA is the worldwide association for professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players and aims to protect and promote professional players’ interests while working to secure the best possible working conditions for players.
Kindbridge is the world’s first teletherapy company with a main focus on the treatment of gamblers and gamers that struggle with their mental wellbeing. The organisation provides access to specialised support services and online professional mental health counsellors.
Rise Above the Disorder in a non-profit mental health care system that covers the cost of mental health care for tens of thousands of people across the globe. The charity has been praised by the United Nations for helping more than 36,000 people receive free mental health support.
Martin Lycka, Entain Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and Trustee of the Entain Foundation US, said: “We are committed to supporting initiatives that encourage responsible gambling and gaming in every way we can. The vast majority of people enjoy playing for fun have no problems whatsoever, and we want to leverage our capabilities to offer them additional experiences whilst keeping all our customers safe.
“These new partnerships are initial steps in this and other new directions as we both expand our offer to customers and the protections we put in place to protect the very small number who may be at risk.”
Entain sticks by Enlabs offer
Entain’s latest partnerships come after the operator announced it had extended the offer acceptance period for its bid to acquire Enlabs.
Last week, Entain confirmed it had extended the acceptance period for its offer to acquire Enlabs until 18 March 2021. Entain went on to state that it expects a “deal settlement” to begin from 30 March should Enlabs accept the offer.
The offer to acquire Enlabs would see Entain pay SEK40 (£3.50) per cash share in the Baltic facing business. This would value the acquisition at SEK2.8bn which is approximately £250m.
