AI: Player Protection
A company making important inroads in the field of AI and player protection is Mindway AI. The company started out in 2018 as a spin-out of Aarhus University in Denmark. Today, Mindway AI is a fast-growing software company operating its science-based solutions in more than 38 countries around the world. We talked to Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO of Mindway AI, to discuss the important strides the company is making in protecting players. We soon learned that AI has the ability to gently nudge players away from problem gambling and can even “mimic” the insights of gambling addiction experts.
How can your solution reduce problem gaming?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: Mindway AI’s solutions are designed to proactively identify and mitigate problem gambling by leveraging behavioural insights through AI and human expert assessment. Our tools monitor gambling behaviour in real-time, identifying patterns associated with risky or problematic behaviour. By detecting these early warning signs, we enable operators to intervene with tailored measures such as personalised feedback, self-exclusion options, or referrals to support services. This approach minimises harm while maintaining a seamless experience for players.
Using advanced brain scanning, you can investigate the biological processes underlying normal and problematic gambling behaviour. Could you tell us more about GameScanner and how it works?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: GameScanner is an AI-driven tool that evaluates gambling behaviour based on patterns in transactional and behavioural gambling data. It uses an algorithm trained on a combination of human expert insights, psychological research, and the player data to assess the risk level of individual gamblers. GameScanner’s AI mimics the decision-making process of human gambling addiction experts, providing risk scores and flagging potentially problematic behaviour early on when the issue is most treatable.
GameScanner functions so to speak as a virtual psychologist, boasting exceptionally high efficacy as validated by GLI. The framework is intricately customised to each operator’s unique player base, enabling even earlier detection and intervention compared to conventional methods. Our team of experts in gambling disorder treatment and research fine-tunes the algorithm for the specific operator by analysing a subset of the customer database. This training process allows the algorithm to swiftly identify at-risk players, and through risk-factor sliders, operators can easily pinpoint such customers and take prompt action.
GameScanner achieves a remarkable 87 per cent efficacy in detecting at-risk or problem gambling cases, comparable to human psychologist experts, bearing in mind the inherent limitation of achieving 100%. When deployed effectively, this automated intervention has the potential to encourage more sustainable gambling behaviours, reduce churn resulting from severe problem gambling cases, and optimise the allocation of responsible gambling employee resources within gambling operators. Mindway AI’s approach adds a human element to the complex AI software, which is not seen elsewhere in the industry. In addition to this, we, at Mindway AI, are 100 per cent focused on safer gambling solutions, unlike most other suppliers in this part of the industry.
At Mindway AI, we agree that more research is essential to clarify the nuances of detection solutions and their mechanisms. However, with over eight million active players analysed monthly through our operational frameworks, we have robust evidence that our tools accurately identify risk. More importantly, we see that risk is effectively mitigated following interventions based on our recommendations. While regulatory challenges are undeniable, to suggest that regulators are inherently unable to act is, frankly, misguided. With actionable insights from advanced solutions like ours, regulators are better equipped than ever to enforce responsible gaming standards effectively.
How do you get the balance right so you are able to encourage responsible gambling practices while not alienating the player?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: Striking the right balance requires a focus on transparency, player autonomy, and positive reinforcement. Mindway AI’s solutions emphasise collaboration with operators to ensure interventions are personalised and respectful. For instance, instead of blocking access immediately (and risking a player just opening a new account elsewhere), we suggest operators provide users with nudges, such as reminders about time spent or spending limits. These gentle, non-intrusive prompts encourage responsible behaviour without making players feel monitored or restricted unnecessarily.
By designing interventions that align with individual risk profiles, we maintain a supportive, player-centred environment. We also provide operators with detailed insights so they can tailor their messaging more to the individual gambler’s situation than currently and safeguards to be informative rather than punitive.
What can we expect to see in terms of the use of AI and player protection measures in the future?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: AI in gambling is poised to become more sophisticated, enabling real-time monitoring with unprecedented accuracy. In the near future, we expect AI-driven systems to incorporate advanced natural language processing to analyse communication between players and support teams for signs of distress. An ongoing ever-enhancing innovation with the latest AI types will improve, allowing for earlier and more accurate identification of at-risk players.
AI may also integrate more deeply with wearable and IoT devices ( pieces of hardware, such as sensors, actuators, gadgets, appliances, or machines, that are programmed for certain applications and can transmit data over the internet or other networks) to offer holistic player protection by tracking physical and emotional cues. Additionally, carded play or id technology could be utilised to ensure transparency and accountability in land-based settings, providing immutable records of operator compliance.
How do you ensure that AI doesn’t go rogue? How important is human supervision?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: Human supervision is a critical safeguard in all the AI systems we at Mindway AI provide. We employ a “human-in-the-loop” model, where experts both external psychologist experts and our internal highly capable expertise regularly validate the algorithm’s outputs to ensure they align with expert judgment and different behaviours in different verticals. Continuous retraining of the AI from experts in different jurisdictions ensures that it adapts to new patterns in player behaviour without deviating from its core purpose.
Rigorous testing, audit trails, and compliance with regulatory frameworks further ensure that the AI operates responsibly. By designing AI systems with transparency and accountability at their core, we minimise the risk of unintended consequences.
Do you think there needs to be specific sector regulatory oversight to mitigate the risks and concerns over AI?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: Yes, sector-specific regulatory oversight is essential to ensure ethical AI use in gambling. Clear and outlined standards and guidelines should govern how AI can be deployed, with an emphasis on promoting player protection rather than exploitation. Transparency requirements, such as disclosing how algorithms assess risk and ensure fairness, are critical.
Regulations should mandate the development of high standards and independent audits of AI systems and require operators to implement safeguards, such as incentives targeting vulnerable players. Oversight bodies must work closely with AI developers and operators to balance innovation with ethical considerations. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act, which came into force in August, 2024, established the first comprehensive legal framework for AI globally. For the online gambling sector, the AI Act could have significant impacts, as gambling platforms increasingly rely on AI for user profiling, fraud detection, and personalised gaming experiences.
Can AI help operators adhere to regulatory compliance?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: AI streamlines compliance by automating the monitoring and reporting of player behaviour, flagging high-risk activity in real-time. Mindway AI’s systems generate comprehensive reports for audit trails, documenting every risk assessment and intervention. This transparency ensures operators have robust evidence of compliance with responsible gambling regulations. By integrating compliance checks directly into their platforms, operators can stay ahead of multi-jurisdiction regulatory requirements without increasing administrative burdens.
What strategic partnerships you have entered into?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: Mindway AI has collaborated with leading gambling tech companies, regulators, and academic institutions to advance responsible gambling initiatives. For example, in the past year partnerships have included some major names. The first being Finnplay which was a strategic alliance to strengthen presence in global markets with a particular focus on the Dutch market. Then we announced a collaboration with award-winning tech consultancy Burendo, to deliver proactive and adaptable solutions. And lastly, Amazon Web Services, which is an official partnership to leverage AWS’s global network, advanced cloud infrastructure, as well as gaining comprehensive security validation for GameScanner and Gamalyze.
Another amazing highlight towards the end of the year was announcing our partnership with Kindbridge Behavioural Health to integrate our AI-driven detection tools with their telehealth expertise setting a new benchmark for early intervention and care.
Additionally, we work closely with regulatory bodies to align our solutions with evolving standards, fostering trust and credibility within the industry. An example of this is our partnership with the Greek regulator, the Hellenic Gambling Commission and collaborations with The Brazilian Ministry of Finance, emphasising the critical role of strong relationships with regulators in advancing responsible gambling practices.
Beyond player protection, how will AI change the gambling landscape going forward?
Rasmus Kjaergaard: AI will transform the gambling landscape by enhancing personalisation, improving game design, and enabling data-driven decision-making particularly around safer gambling. While player protection remains a priority, AI can also enhance user experience by tailoring game recommendations, optimising payout structures, and offering immersive, adaptive gameplay.
Moreover, AI will empower operators to optimise their business strategies through predictive analytics, reducing operational inefficiencies and improving customer engagement. However, the ethical use of AI will remain a critical consideration to ensure these advancements do not come at the expense of player well-being.
