Safer gambling training for major operators has been through a period of change in recent years, with a move away from ‘box-ticking’ for compliance reasons, replaced by a human-centric approach which explains why a small percentage but significant number of gamblers aren’t able to maintain control over their gambling habits.

Within our team at EPIC Global Solutions, there are so many lived experience examples of why safer gambling training for operators needed to change. Now we have the evidence to show exactly how it has changed for the better, with leading global operators having made considerable strides towards a safer and more sustainable industry over the past decade, by listening to those who saw exactly what needed to happen by living through all the wrong outcomes.

When I joined EPIC Global Solutions six years ago, I was keen to explore why so many of our employees (including myself) that now live their lives in recovery, never had an effective intervention from the operators. 

Firstly, I realised that the data problem was hugely complex. Secondly, the staff simply didn’t hold the skills and confidence to hold meaningful difficult conversations. Safer Gambling teams had become jaded, irritated by the tricks, lies and manipulative techniques that the customers used to get what they wanted. To them at that time, the customers had become another account number linked to meaningless financial figures that didn’t reflect real-life values.

The conversations, where they happened at all, lacked nuance or empathy – more box-ticking than care. It wasn’t until family and close friends intervened that I found the human support and connection that truly mattered. That gap – between data and humanity – is why lived experience now sits at the heart of everything we do at EPIC, with so many of my colleagues having relayed such similar experiences of ‘how it used to be.’

In this role, I’ve seen first-hand how a lived experience-led approach to training can shift the entire dynamic of how gambling operators think about risk, responsibility and player engagement. When I joined the organisation, it was clear that we had something different to offer the sector – not another compliance module, but something rooted in real human stories, behavioural science, and practical interventions that bridge policy and real world impact.

Today, that difference has become a strength that operators across the world are actively seeking out. We’ve moved well beyond abstract classroom sessions – these are programmes designed to turn policy into action. They don’t just tick the ‘responsible gambling’ box: they help operators genuinely understand what at-risk behaviour looks like, how to interact with a customer showing early signs of harm, and why empathy and human connection matter just as much as any data point.

This shift is no accident. Operators we’ve worked with consistently tell us that training with a lived experience emphasis translates complexity into practical confidence for staff – from call centres to customer care teams, right up to senior leadership. The integration of lived experience – where people who have been affected by gambling harm themselves share their journeys – helps bring to life the “why” behind every policy and every procedure. The result is not just awareness, but engagement and ownership at every level of an organisation.

In 2024–25, our Activity Report documented how this approach has driven meaningful improvement in operator practices, with satisfaction scores and behavioural change metrics rising year on year. We’ve learned that when staff hear directly from those who have navigated gambling harm, it resonates in a way that traditional training simply can’t replicate.

What’s also exciting is how this model is evolving. We’re expanding digital tools that retain the human touch but vastly increase accessibility, so that more operators and employees can access world-class gambling harm education regardless of geography or role. At the same time, we remain steadfast that technology should support human insight – never replace it – in effective intervention strategies.

For gambling operators serious about player protection and long-term sustainability, lived experience-led training isn’t an add-on. It’s now a critical part of doing business responsibly, protecting customers and reinforcing trust across the industry. That’s impact you can both measure and feel.

EPIC Global Solutions is the trusted partner for gambling harm prevention. EPIC’s proven approach is grounded in personal experiences, providing real-world, relatable solutions for making gambling safer and more sustainable. Working in partnership with gambling operators, sports, education and other at-risk sectors to reduce harm, EPIC use knowledge and insight to enable organisations to reduce gambling harm though sustainable solutions. For more information on EPIC’s education, training and consultancy services, visit www.EPICglobalsolutions.com.