SBC Summit 2026: Lisa Corti (BVGroup) Calls for Shared Responsibility in Player Protection

Player protection in the online gambling sector will be one of the key topics at SBC Summit 2026, which will take place from September 29 to October 1 at the Lisbon International Fair (FIL) and the MEO Arena. Lisa Corti, Director of Safer Gambling at BVGroup, argues that protection works best when responsibilities are well-defined and distributed among operators, technology suppliers, and regulatory authorities. She emphasizes that the duty of care can never be the exclusive responsibility of a single actor and should prevent the dilution of each party's individual responsibility.

Boundaries Between Operator and Player Responsibility

Corti clarifies that operators, under current regulatory frameworks, have contractual and licensing obligations, not a general duty of care under common law. Their responsibility includes identifying, assessing, and acting on risk signals, as well as providing information, tools, and guidance to customers. These resources are presented via informative web content, direct messages, or calls, always promoting a responsible relationship with gambling. The player, for their part, must assimilate and use this information according to their own experience and context.

Intervention in the Face of Harm and Risk Signals

When clear signals of potential harm are detected, protection must take precedence over the client's autonomy. According to Corti, many people are initially unaware that they are developing gambling problems. Therefore, early intervention — through personalized recommendations and access to control tools — is crucial to avoid progression toward problematic gambling. If prior alerts and support have not been adopted, operators like BVGroup take proportional and tailored measures in compliance with both their regulatory obligations and internal protection policies.

Shared Responsibility: Operators, Regulators, and Suppliers

For Corti, the most effective protection is achieved when:

• Regulators establish consistent, proportional, and result-oriented standards, providing flexibility for operators to adapt to each client.
• Technology suppliers incorporate player protection from the product design phase, providing clear and auditable risk indicators.
• Operators interpret these indicators within the client's real context and act accordingly.

Corti identifies two significant shortcomings:

1. Segmentation and fragmentation of player data;
2. Disparate regulatory expectations across jurisdictions, creating uncertainty about who bears responsibility when multiple entities manage the player cycle.

Greater collaboration among operators, regulators, payment suppliers, treatment entities, and academia would help identify risks earlier and enhance the effectiveness of interventions. But, Corti warns: shared responsibility cannot become diluted responsibility; each participant must be accountable for the risks they control.

Automation with AI and Limits of Human Judgment

The use of artificial intelligence and behavioral data has expanded operators' ability to identify at-risk players. Corti highlights that automation is valid for sending basic information, reminders, or self-assessment tools at scale, especially among low- or moderate-risk players. For complex cases and decisions with a big impact, human involvement is essential. Human oversight ensures proportionality and explainability, as well as correcting possible mistakes made by algorithms.

"The greater the risk and potential impact on the client, the more human involvement must be in the process," underscores Lisa Corti, Director of Safer Gambling at BVGroup.

Managing False Positives and Negatives in AI

The use of AI inevitably brings about false positives (incorrectly flagged customers) and false negatives (cases missed by the system). Corti emphasizes that these errors must be managed through:

• Continuous human oversight and review;
• Periodic reporting and gap analysis in risk identification;
• Regular calibrations using quantitative metrics (sensitivity, precision) and outcomes from the interventions themselves.

The goal is not to trigger more alerts but to accurately identify customers and act proportionally and promptly, under updated regulatory guidelines.

Effectiveness of Interventions: Key Factors

Corti defines an effective intervention as one whose motive is clear and relevant to the client's specific behavior. In low-risk cases, brief and relevant messages, sent at the time behavioral changes occur, generate more engagement. As risks increase, the intervention must be more personalized and include an explanation of why a behavior is problematic and how to manage it. The initial tone remains informative, but as the case escalates, it should add practical resources and guidance on managing gambling. Timeliness is key to achieving positive impacts.

How to Measure the Effectiveness of Safer Gambling

Operators assess whether an intervention is effective through various indicators, such as the reduction of self-exclusions, less need for repeated interventions, and sustained changes in customer behavior. When a customer does not require any further follow-up after an intervention and ceases to be at risk, the outcome is considered successful. This analysis is particularly complex at large volumes, making automation and AI essential tools for the future.

Future Priorities for Player Protection

Corti believes that the most significant improvement in the coming years will be clear regulatory guidelines, consistent expectations, and the strategic use of AI. In her view, human oversight must be combined with advanced technology and agile application of regulatory frameworks, thus achieving realistic and sustainable protection in the digital gambling environment.

The interview with Lisa Corti (BVGroup) is part of the regulation and innovation discussions at SBC Summit 2026, which also features representatives from Entain, Grand Casino Kursaal Bern, Stellar Gaming, and other industry leaders.