Tipico hails success of “panic button” tool

The operator says its short-term self-exclusion tool has helped reduce problem gambling.

Malta.- The Germany-facing sports betting and online gambling operator Tipico has reported that its “panic button” feature has proved to be effective in reducing problem gambling. It says 10,000 customers per month are using the new tool.

The button, which is permanently on screen, allows players to quickly impose a 24-hour self-exclusion. Tipico developed the tool due to Germany’s requirement for operators to adopt a simple and easy self-exclusion feature. As opposed to the more common self-exclusion tools, it’s present at all times and triggers an immediate self-exclusion with just a single click. 

The operator’s report noted that while self-exclusion is an effective method for the protection of vulnerable customers, the steps involved in activating them often mean they have a high threshold for use, with customers using them only as the last resort “typically after some degree of harm has already occurred”.

It noted that operators themselves can impose exclusions to try to counter this, but this measure depends on the operator being able to detect problem behaviour early with sufficient certainty. The panic button places players on Germany’s national self-exclusion scheme OASIS for 24 hours.

Tipico, which was one of the first companies to gain German sports betting licences in 2020, said its panic button tool could help prevent a potential loss of control and give the customer the time they need to think about whether they need a longer-term indefinite self-exclusion. 

Data showed that users’ stakes fell from an average of €277 per week to €124 per week after using the tool, a drop of 55 per cent suggesting that players had moderated their activity.

“This initial evidence suggests the panic button being well-accepted, non-invasive and effective,” the company said. “However, more research will be required to investigate betting motives and the choice of bets after the panic button break.”

See also: Dutch regulator fines Tipico ahead of legal market launch