SPORTS BETTING

US – DraftKings adopts system-based safer play approach in collaboration with Harvard Medical School

By Lewis - 1 July 2021

DraftKings has entered into a strategic consulting agreement with the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

In coordination with the DraftKings Responsible Gaming team, the Division will create a systems-based safer play approach to training employees across the business in responsible gaming, including a logic model, conceptual map, needs assessment schedule, and evaluation plan.

Systems-based safer play describes a method that includes approaches to training, business practices, and player resources that recognise and respond to the larger context of the gaming environment and its interacting elements.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance to expand our research-driven approach to responsible gaming,” said Jason Robins, DraftKings’ co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board.

“Evidence-based and data driven strategies, created in coordination with CHA’s premier researchers, will enhance our player safety policies, product tools and employee trainings.”

In 2016, the Division pursued research on daily fantasy sports play enjoying unfettered access to anonymised DraftKings customer data to better understand responsible play.

This research collaboration yielded academic presentations at international conferences and peer-reviewed articles published in Computers in Human Behavior, Journal of Gambling Studies, Journal of Sport & Social Issues, and Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, which offered seminal observations of daily fantasy sports play.

In addition, the collaboration provided feedback opportunities to DraftKings to aid in the company’s commitment to providing a safe environment for its players.

“We look forward to continuing our engagement with DraftKings on these strategic consulting, training, and dissemination activities and believe that this work will break new ground in responsible gaming,” added Debi LaPlante, PhD, Principal Investigator, Director of the Division, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

“Sharing scientific knowledge with DraftKings to advance new responsible business processes will help players at risk of gaming-related problems. With the rapid expansion of sports betting across the United States, this is the perfect time to build actionable and evidence-based strategies for DraftKings.”