• Artificial
intelligence is being used to predict behaviour in ‘frightening new
ways’ despite condemnation from MPs and campaigners
The gambling industry is increasingly using artificial
intelligence to predict consumer habits and personalise promotions to keep
gamblers hooked, industry insiders have revealed.
Current and former
gambling industry employees have described how people’s betting habits are
scrutinised and modelled to manipulate their future behaviour.
“The industry is using AI to profile customers and predict their
behaviour in frightening new ways,” said Asif, a digital marketer who
previously worked for a gambling company. “Every click is scrutinised in
order to optimise profit, not to enhance a user’s experience.”
“I’ve often heard people wonder about how they are targeted
so accurately and it’s no wonder because its all hidden in the small
print.”
Publicly, gambling executives boast of increasingly
sophisticated advertising keeping people betting, while privately conceding
that some are more susceptible to gambling addiction when bombarded with these
type of bespoke ads and incentives.
Gamblers’ every click, page
view and transaction is scientifically examined so that ads statistically more
likely to work can be pushed through Google, Facebook and other platforms.
“They’ll know everything about an individual from their
inside leg measurement onwards,” said Nick, a consultant within the
gambling industry.
Users unwittingly consent to the use of their data
in ways they aren’t aware of due to lengthy terms and conditions, enabling
their information to legally be used in this way.
“Once someone
has logged into a gambling platform it can do whatever they want with
them,” said Brian, a digital marketer for the gambling industry.
“It’s like a science, it’s not just random advertising messages,
the whole thing is personalised, and data-driven customer profiles are
constructed from gamblers’ behaviour.”
Last August, the
Guardian revealed the gambling industry uses third-party companies to harvest
people’s data, helping bookmakers and online casinos target people on low
incomes and those who have stopped gambling. Despite condemnation from MPs,
experts and campaigners, such practices remain an industry norm.
“You can buy email lists with more than 100,000 people’s
emails and phone numbers from data warehouses who regularly sell data to help
market gambling promotions,” said Brian. “They say it’s all
opted in but people haven’t opted in at all.”
In this way,
among others, gambling companies and advertisers create detailed customer
profiles including masses of information about their interests, earnings,
personal details and credit history.
“I never cease to be amazed
at how low the gambling industry is prepared to go to exploit those who have
indicated an interest in gambling,” says Carolyn Harris, a Labour MP who
has campaigned for gambling reform.
“The industry is geared to get
people addicted to something that will cause immense harm, not just to society
but to individuals and their families. They are parasitical leeches and I will
offer no apology for saying that.” |
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