BVGroup’s Lisa Corti Argues for Clear Shared Responsibility in Player Protection at SBC Summit 2026

The question of where an operator's obligations end and a player's own responsibility begins is central to safer gambling debates. Lisa Corti, Head of Safer Gambling at BVGroup, will articulate her position at the 'Whose Shoulders Does Responsible Gaming Fall On?' panel during SBC Summit 2026 from 29 September to 1 October at Lisbon International Fair (FIL) and MEO Arena. Corti maintains that effective player protection stems from distinctly shared roles between regulators, operators, and technology providers—each tasked with unique, clearly articulated duties.

Shared Responsibility in Player Protection: Corti’s Framework

Lisa Corti’s stance is clear: player protection is maximised when all industry stakeholders—regulators, operators, platform vendors, and suppliers—adopt transparent and non-overlapping obligations. She states regulators should set consistent standards and leave enough flexibility for operators to adapt safeguards to individual player risk profiles. Technology vendors must develop products with intrinsic safety features and explainable risk alerts, while operators are responsible for interpreting behavioural indicators and acting on them in compliance with licence conditions.

“Responsibility is most effective when shared but clearly defined. Greater collaboration between operators, regulators, providers, payment services, researchers, and treatment centres aids early identification of risks and strengthens intervention,” said Lisa Corti, BVGroup.

The issue of responsibility is compounded by fragmented data and inconsistent frameworks across jurisdictions. Corti highlights the need for better alignment: lack of clarity over who acts when multiple providers are involved creates gaps in oversight, requiring a coordinated approach from every actor involved in the customer journey.

Operator Duty of Care: Legal and Regulatory Parameters

Corti emphasises there is no universal legal duty of care under common law for iGaming operators, but regulatory standards in individual markets are decisive. Operators must:

• Identify and assess risk behaviours using transactional and behavioural data
• Offer accessible safer gambling tools: on-site resources, communications, and direct encouragement
• Intervene according to risk threshold and regulatory requirement, which may mean targeted outreach or account restrictions

The onus on the customer is to assimilate information and manage their activity. Still, operators must step in if provided tools and information are not used and indicators of harm escalate, fulfilling their obligations to act in line with regulatory frameworks.

Early Intervention, AI, and Human Oversight

AI and behavioural data technologies are transforming large-scale identification of at-risk individuals. Automated interventions—such as notifications regarding time or money spent, or prompting self-assessment—are suitable for lower-risk groups. According to Corti, human oversight is essential as risk increases: all major decisions affecting player autonomy require manual review to remain proportionate and explainable.

“The greater the risk and the greater the potential impact, the more indispensable human judgment becomes,” said Corti.

Operators must regularly review AI models for both false positives and negatives. Proper controls—gap analysis, sensitivity metrics, accuracy reviews, and regulatory audit trails—are non-negotiable. Models should be recalibrated with new data and reflect current regulatory expectations.

Intervention Effectiveness: Timeliness, Tone, and Personalisation

Corti believes interventions succeed when they are timely, relevant, and tailored to observed behaviours. For low-risk customers, a brief, behaviour-specific message often suffices. As risk escalates, communication must be more direct and instructional, outlining not just the issue but practical means for mitigation. At the highest risk levels, operators should deliver in-depth conversations that make the rationale for concern clear, provide concrete resources, and do so without judgement to materially increase engagement rates.

• Interventions benefit from being timed to the behaviour rather than after-the-fact
• Messages should escalate in tone and specificity with risk
• Personalisation—using live behavioural indicators—boosts the relevance and potential effectiveness

Measuring Success: Metrics and Continuous Review

Operators are advised to use a blend of metrics to judge safer gambling efforts:

• Reduction in self-exclusions
• Evidence that interaction led to lasting behaviour change
• Frequency and longevity of repeated issues or interventions
• Individual behaviour change tracked post-intervention

Given the scale (thousands of interventions daily), automated evaluation tools are essential. Effectiveness should be validated at both customer and aggregate levels, drawing on qualitative feedback as well as quantitative performance indicators.

Regulatory Outlook: Clear Expectations and Coordinated Action

Consistent, actionable guidance from regulators is foundational for progress. Corti suggests that AI’s real promise lies in accelerating early risk detection and supporting more reactive, data-driven interventions, but only when paired with manual decision-making and defined legal standards.

The evolution of player protection standards will be shaped by:

• Regulatory consistency across jurisdictions
• Continued technological innovation with embedded human oversight
• Clear communication of obligations for each actor along the player’s journey

The discussions at SBC Summit 2026 will further address hardware, data, and integrity challenges in regulated markets. With representatives like Lisa Corti, the focus will remain on fine-tuning the boundary between automation, regulatory responsibility, and the player’s own role in safer gambling.