Games supplier Play’n GO will lead a series of responsible gambling policy sessions at the G7, G20, and United Nations meetings in 2025, starting with the G7 Leaders Summit this week in Calgary, Alberta.
Play'n GO is the only software developer invited to participate in the inaugural Global Forum on Responsible Gaming and Gambling Policy.
Key takeaways
- Play’n GO will engage with global leaders and experts during the G7 summit on June 13.
- The forum is a three-part series, with Play’n GO also participating in the G20 Summit and UN General Assembly later this year.
- The company took a lead in responsible gambling, banning bonus buy games and confirming its CEO wouldn't supply sweepstakes casinos, citing regulatory concerns.
Shawn Fluharty, Play’n GO’s head of government affairs, will lead the discussions. On June 13, the G7 Summit's opening day, Fluharty will commence a session, engaging directly with global leaders, regulators, scientists, and public health officials on gambling and its effect on mental wellness.
The meetings aim to produce recommendations for international policy on public health, youth protection, innovation, and society prosperity. The recommendations will be collated and formally presented through policy channels to help define the next generation of international gambling regulation.
Speaking to Covers.com, Fluharty said: “Being the only online gaming supplier at the G7, G20, and UN policy forums carries a responsibility to bring real-world insight into high-level discussions. Working hand-in-hand with lawmakers, regulators, and public-health experts makes it possible to craft global standards that protect players, eliminate unlicensed risks, and foster sustainable innovation across regulated markets, something Play’n GO is fully committed to.”
Fluharty emphasized the importance of the forums, saying that "positioning responsible gaming at the world’s premier policy forums is vital to ensuring regulation keeps pace with rapid innovation and effectively protects consumers." He stated Play'n GO's presence as the sole online supplier at these events "will showcase the critical value of early collaboration with lawmakers and regulators in forging cohesive, global standards."
A history of taking proactive measures
Play’n GO is at the forefront of advocacy for responsible gambling, increased oversight from regulators, and stricter enforcement. The company was the first to ban bonus buy games, pre-empting regulators like the KSA in the Netherlands and the UK Gambling Commission.
This was followed by company CEO Johan Törnqvist's announcement on May 6 that the business would never supply its games to sweepstakes casinos. Törnqvist stated, "Sweepstakes casinos do not operate inside a regulated framework and that’s not something we support. Our commitment to regulated markets is absolute."
Fluharty elaborated on the risk, adding, "Sweepstakes casinos threaten the regulated market model that many of us in the industry have worked so hard to achieve, which protects players first and foremost." He also warned that suppliers working with sweepstakes casinos may now face difficulties entering future regulated markets.
