‘AI helps detection, but can’t replicate the human touch needed for intervention’, Spencer tells ICE
A new digitally-focused method of helping to prevent gambling-related harm was high on the agenda as EPIC’s principal consultant Dan Spencer joined an expert panel at ICE 2025 to discuss how technology is already having a major impact in combating problem gambling.
‘A Unified Approach: Technology and Humanity in Player Intervention and Interaction’ was the subject addressed in the Sustainable Gambling Zone at the event’s new Barcelona venue, with the panel made up of respected experts on the subject of gambling harm prevention.
Sally Gainsbury (director, Gambling Treatment & Research Clinic, University of Sydney), Christina Theophilos (head of responsible gaming, TonyBet), Francesco Rodano (chief sustainable gambling officer, Playtech) and Michael Auer (managing director, Neccton) joined Spencer to answer the questions, under the guidance of University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ Khasra Ghaharian, who moderated the discussion.
Generative AI was a topic high on the agenda, assessing how it is currently being used in online situations such as identifying signs of harm via spikes in player behavior, helping to answer chatbot queries or providing decision-making tools for those questioning the safety levels of their own play.
EPIC have been integral in providing human insight to power the AI technology that is used by a number of gambling operators to help detect early signs of harm, and Spencer was keen to emphasize how the real-life insight and pioneering technology work perfectly in tandem, explaining:
“Validation of AI detection methods is a critical component of a successful intervention strategy.
“At EPIC, we have conducted thousands of manual reviews led by lived experience consultants, not only to ensure the effectiveness of the technology, but also embed the culture throughout the organization and trust in the platform.
“The most important thing is that interactions are taking place with players at regular intervals. If AI chat bots make this easier at an early stage when risk levels are low, then this can only be a good thing.”
Also on the bill was talk of Agentic AI, which is tipped for a big 2025 breakthrough, and is being touted as a possible predictor of patterns of harm, using sophisticated reasoning and data to solve complex issues with multiple steps.
There was also a discussion as to whether AI could be used to break the issue of stigma when it comes to acknowledging and treating gambling disorder, with affected players potentially able to use an AI interface to assess the best way to resolve issues, if they had reservations around speaking with humans about the issue. Spencer, however, was reserved in his judgement as to whether this was likely to be as effective as the use of the technology to initially detect harm.
“I’m a big supporter of AI technology in the detection of at-risk players,” he continued. “It provides the operator with detailed information that sets them up to have a meaningful interaction.
“However, when it comes to intervention, chatbots can only do so much. When a player is experiencing serious problems, they need a well-trained person to empathize and connect on a human level.
“Conversations with chatbots do not remove the stigma associated with gambling-related harm. We will only do that through normalizing conversations around the risks associated with gambling.
“Players need to understand that operators truly care about their wellbeing and are willing to engage on a human level.”
Notwithstanding the need for human intervention in potential crisis situations, with technology firmly embedded in both gambling and the process of identifying any of the harm associated with it, it stands to reason that EPIC are also following a technological approach to expanding the reach of the company’s lived experience-based services.
Though the company remains committed to using face-to-face delivery for maximum impact, EPIC is currently developing innovative digital training solutions, which can help to considerably expand the reach and availability of its gambling harm prevention services.
With several more major gambling industry conferences still to come this year, expect to hear more from the EPIC team regarding the digital concepts that are being developed to meet client needs, offering even greater scope than before to help educate people in bigger numbers and on a wider scale.
