Dan Iliovici: "Social responsibility should not be just another checked point among others"

As the Casino Guru Awards 2025 nomination deadline is upon us, we use this last opportunity to catch up with Dan Iliovici, a judge in the Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative category.

In this interview, Iliovici, who is a prominent voice in responsible gambling, talks about the role of social responsibility in the industry - from public perception to corporate initiatives.

Iliovici shares his insights on why giving back matters and the challenges that operators face, and not least, how the Casino Guru Awards can help contribute to a more responsible gambling landscape.

Q:Dan, thank you so much for joining us – can we start you off with a difficult one? Why is social responsibility important to the gambling industry?

Firstly, thank you for the opportunity of this interview. Let’s jump in.

Gambling is a special industry. Most of the public consider that gambling is a bad behavior, that ruins lives, and it has a stigma worse than smoking and alcohol, which are more or less socially acceptable.

By social responsibility the gambling industry is returning a part of the income to the society, which may have a beneficial influence on the public’s perception.

If this is a moral approach, if this could change the perception, if it can compensate the gambling related harms, it is another question. But it is a bare minimum we can do as an industry. Please consider the fact that there is no legal binding to do so in most European jurisdictions, therefore it is a voluntary approach.

Q: Do you think consumers and players understand and appreciate social responsibility efforts made by companies or do you think there is still a sort of informational vacuum?

I do not have evidence-based data on this, but for sure, social responsibility initiatives are more appreciated than rejected. Rejection may also have a moral aspect.
There is also a sort of "informational vacuum," many such activities are done on "silent mode", which is, in my opinion, the right approach.
One should not forget that:

"But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your gift may be in secret." Matthew 6:3.

Q:How can the Casino Guru Awards platform help build a world in which social responsibility is not just a matter of distinct business achievement, but a core principle?

I suspect that if this principle is not deeply built into the companies’ DNA, it may be difficult to make it happen from outside. But this does not mean that we should not do our best to promote this approach. I am thinking of a larger collaboration with mass-media, social media, to build a sort of competition among operators. And to make this better known to the public, and even to politicians.

Q: What have your unique experience with social responsibility been, particularly in your home country of Romania? Is the gambling industry rising to the challenge at a time of rapid growth?

It was a great (and positive) surprise for me to hear about how many social projects are done by the gambling operators in Romania (not all of them) for the benefit of the community. As mentioned, most of these are done silently, with no advertising. But all these are well known by the people "affected" by these actions. There is also more to be done too.

Q: Are there any challenges for companies to do more when it comes to social responsibility – is a matter of finance, culture, or something else?

Unfortunately, some recent fiscal changes adopted in my country do not encourage sponsorship, on the contrary. Not to mention the massive impact on profitability. But it is during these tough times that one can prove their commitment to social responsibility.

Q: After two full editions of the Casino Guru Awards, what do you think the most notable changes in the format and judging process have been?

The nominee’s selection has been improved. Another good change was the format of judges gathering, the round table discussions.

Q:Why do you think companies should apply if they are serious about social responsibility in general? What is in for them to gain?

Making their social responsibility projects well-known is a kind of free advertising, but made in a sober manner.

Having more of these companies and projects gathered on a single platform provides a sort of competition among different approaches and companies too.

Q: What do you expect to see from this edition’s applicants in the ISRI category?

I would expect a greater engagement of gambling operators, some innovative ideas, and a sort of enthusiasm among applicants. Social responsibility should not be just another checked point among others, it is or should be one of the main pillars of organizational culture.

Image credit: Casino Guru News