Proactive outreach calls – a short and effective intervention to mitigate gambling harm

We’ve walked alongside many gambling operators as the industry has gradually shifted from being reactive to becoming more proactive and preventive—driven by increasingly clear regulatory requirements in many jurisdictions. The trend began in Northern Europe, and recently, Canadian provinces have followed suit.

Over the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of supporting Canadian gambling operators in adopting a comprehensive and active approach to preventing and minimising gambling harm. Together, we’ve addressed the full spectrum—from preventive measures and automated interventions to more advanced, personalised interventions. A key development has been the introduction of proactive outreach calls as a new form of intervention for at-risk players who haven’t acted on previously recommended measures. 

While still new to much of the gambling industry, these calls have been implemented with great effect by state-owned operators in Norway, since 2015, and Sweden since 2017. In 2023, Svenska Spel called more than 26 000 customers.

So, what are proactive outreach calls? 

A proactive outreach call is a phone call made to a customer whose gambling behaviour raises concern. This might include players who have lost a significant amount of money or made many deposits within a short period—indicators of potentially risky gambling behaviour.

Why a phone call?

A phone call is personal, allows for direct interaction, and is the most reliable way to ensure the customer receives and understands the information. Research shows that phone calls are significantly more effective than other forms of contact when it comes to encouraging change.

A Norwegian study found that customers who participated in a proactive outreach call reduced their gambling by 30% over a year at the group level, and contrary to the expectations of both the gambling operators and researchers, customers reported a high level of satisfaction with these calls. Researchers also compared the effect of the calls to that of sending a physical letter and found that the letters were only half as effective, with the impact lasting just three months.

The calls have proven effective across various player groups, from sports bettors and casino players to more general gamblers. The greatest impact has been seen among the biggest losers*.

So, what is the goal of the call—and why is calling customers such an important piece of the preventive and proactive player protection puzzle? Jakob Jonsson, PhD and licensed psychologist at Sustainable Gambling, who has conducted research on proactive outreach calls, explains:

“The goal of the call is to build a personal connection with the customer, understand their experience with gambling, and encourage them to take action. Providing feedback on their consumption after they’ve made an estimate is often an eye-opening experience and a strong motivator for change.”

How Sustainable Interaction can help

Whether you're just starting to explore proactive outreach calls or looking to strengthen an existing program, we’re here to support your next step—tailored to your organisation’s specific needs and goals.

Here’s how we can support you:

Player identification and segmentation

We help you identify the right players to contact—starting with the biggest financial losers. Younger customers are often of special interest. As your program matures, we can help you include more advanced indicators, such as:

• Multiple deposits in short periods

• Increased time spent gambling

• Signs of tolerance in combination with high losses

• Self-assessment results indicating gambling issues

• Concerns raised by family members

Process and work procedures

We’ll help you set up and implement compliant operational processes tailored to your needs and requirements.

Training

We offer specialised training to equip staff with the skills needed to conduct proactive outreach calls confidently, empathetically and professionally. Our training options include interactive modules featuring real-life conversation scenarios, virtual or live sessions led by leading experts, or a tailored combination of these formats to best suit your needs.

Coaching

Once your program is up and running, we provide coaching sessions to evaluate its effectiveness and fine-tune your efforts for continuous improvement.

Evaluation

We support you in assessing the impact of your interventions, helping you refine your approach and effectively demonstrate compliance and results to regulators.

Proactive outreach calls as a service

Utilise our team’s expertise by forwarding players that show signs of risky gambling behaviour to our support line. As your service provider, we will make sure that the correct indicators are investigated and, when needed, provide you with recommendations for further action.

This service is at present only offered to Swedish licensees.

Get in touch

Get in touch to explore how we can tailor a solution for your organisation—or learn more about our services here.

* https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.14982