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The Dunning-Kruger effect posits that individuals with limited knowledge on a subject tend to overestimate their understanding. Ironically, the more a person learns, the more their confidence in the subject plummets initially. This psychological phenomenon best describes what Tom Seaver, Senior Director, Colorado Lottery, went through during the lottery’s four-year-long World Lottery Association (WLA) responsible gaming certification. It was a rigorous process to become a level 4 member, and the management team learned a great deal. “But we also learned what we didn’t know, and I think that was the pivotal moment for us,” Seaver says. “We realized we needed to create a responsible gaming program that was Colorado-specific and that involved considerably more self-awareness.” To do this, they needed an in-house expert.
Until then, their Public Outreach Manager had been handling responsible gaming efforts. As the liaison for all public stakeholders, he worked directly with the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado (PGCC), the local National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) branch. He learned a lot in the role, but it was only 25% of his duties. “Through the process of building our program, we realized we had enough work for a full-time employee,” Jennifer Anderson, Deputy Senior Director, Colorado Lottery, says.
The creation of a full-time responsible gaming manager was challenging since they didn’t already have a Player Health Manager. Like any new position, they needed to find funding and get approval. “I will say, if there is a position that is easier to create than others, it is when you tell your department you want a full-time responsible gaming person,” Anderson laughs.
The second issue they faced was finding someone with the expertise. Responsible gaming experts are surprisingly rare in the United States. The sudden spike in sports gambling across the country has also drastically increased the need for them. Plus, the lottery legally had to start their search in Colorado, reducing the candidate pool even further. They went to some lengths to find someone local, posting the position more than once and paying to advertise the new position. It was to no avail. “There aren’t many people floating around out there with a ton of responsible gaming experience,” Anderson says. “Tom and I were adamant we hire someone who could increase our knowledge and expertise around responsible gaming—we didn’t want to be teaching them, as we were self-taught up to that point.”
The Expert
Finally, after receiving approval from their Department of Personnel to search outside the state, due to the lack of qualified candidates in Colorado, the lottery found and hired Amanda Quintana. Quintana was exactly the type of person they were looking for. She began her career working to prevent substance misuse, which led her to the addiction field. She later transitioned to the New York Council of Problem Gambling and then served as the Program Manager for NCPG. In these roles, she worked with operators nationwide, ensuring they understood best practices for responsible gaming, informed by current research.
For Colorado, Quintana allows them to approach their branding differently. They want to move beyond seasonal campaigns to establish a more integrated and consistent approach to responsible gaming, as well as update their messaging and brand around responsible gaming. By aligning revenue goals with player health, they hope to foster an environment where responsible gaming is seamlessly woven into the organizational fabric.
For instance, tailored messaging for Colorado residents will be far more effective than the typical “finger-wagging” tone often used in responsible gaming messaging. “A strict, reprimanding campaign just didn’t resonate with our players. They’d rather have us explain what responsible gaming looks like. What is positive play? What is the healthy approach to playing lottery?” Seaver explains. “We’re going to continue to refine our messaging using our research resources so that when we do go to market, we’re confident the messaging will have an effect.”
Ever the marketer, Seaver likens the approach to products. A lottery always considers the attributes of a new game and then messages around what players like the most. Different players will be attracted by different messaging. Responsible gaming messaging is the same way. The Lottery wants to know what responsible gaming style will have the greatest impact on its players.
“We hope our approach will show how things could be and what things can look like. In time, our research will show how that’s impacting our players. I think it can serve as an example for others in the industry,” Quintana says.
Seaver agrees, believing that Quintana is already establishing a new standard for the industry. “I think the decision to have a full-time person was probably the easiest in the history of organizational dynamics. To do it justice, you must bring in somebody who knows more than you do and can help mold the right program so it can grow. I think more and more lotteries are going to understand the need to have someone on staff who can help them,” he says with a laugh. “But it won’t be Amanda because she’s staying here.”