Phil Sherwood: “We’re elevating our RG efforts at PrizePicks”

Phil Sherwood, Senior Director of Responsible Gambling at PrizePicks, has spoken to Casino Guru News in an exclusive interview, outlining how his company has collaborated with leaders in responsible gambling such as EPIC Global Solutions and Kindbridge Behavioral Health to offer the best possible experience to players. Sherwood has emphasized the importance of RG in daily fantasy sports and the shared risks the activity has with traditional betting.

PrizePicks, however, is on a mission to enhance its RG safeguards and ensure that both player education, as well as self-exclusion options, are available to protect consumers. PrizePicks is committed to continuing to double down on its RG efforts, leveraging data-driven insight as well as personalized solutions to help it ensure the safety of all players.

Q: Phil, you recently teamed up with EPIC Global Solutions to strengthen responsible gaming at PrizePicks. What has motivated you to seek this partnership?

We’re elevating our responsible gaming efforts at PrizePicks, focusing on increased investment in tools, training and education for both our employees and our players in order to offer a safer DFS experience.

EPIC brings unparalleled expertise in employee trainings that raise awareness and promote safer gaming practices. Working with EPIC enables us to foster an internal culture that prioritizes RG awareness and education by integrating their knowledge into our programs.

One of the key motivations for partnering with EPIC was the positive response from our employees during previous RG sessions they conducted for us. Their approach of utilizing individuals with lived experience to share personal stories and expertise had a profound impact on our team so continuing our work with them was a clear choice.

Q: How important are safer gaming practices in daily fantasy sports? Is the vertical as fraught with danger as traditional gaming, do you think based on your experience?

Safe and responsible gaming practices are critically important in daily fantasy sports. While DFS differs in structure and gameplay from traditional sports betting, it still requires a strong focus on player protection.

We’ve implemented numerous responsible gaming measures on the PrizePicks platform, including a hub for player education, self-exclusion tools, and partnerships with organizations like EPIC and Kindbridge Behavioral Health. We want to ensure that our players have access to a robust suite of tools to enjoy their gaming experience in a safe and controlled manner.

Q: You previously also struck a partnership with Kindbridge Behavioral Health. How are the two partnerships different?

EPIC is primarily focused on employee education for PrizePicks. They lead internal training sessions to showcase the complexities of RG to our staff and how to communicate about it effectively.

Kindbridge specializes in direct mental health support, offering professional behavioral health services to our members. This partnership ensures that we continue to put our players first by providing access to specialized care if they experience behavioral health-related challenges. Together, these partnerships reinforce our comprehensive approach to responsible gaming, focusing on both employee readiness and player well-being.

Q: What do you think the biggest challenges in addressing responsible gaming are for a DFS operator?

A significant challenge is recognizing the nuanced risks in both online sports betting and daily fantasy sports. While DFS is deemed a skill-based activity, it shares some of the same potential risks as traditional betting.

At PrizePicks, we’re committed to leading the responsible gaming space within DFS by offering cutting-edge tools for players and continued education for our team. We leverage data-driven insights and collaborate with leading responsible gaming partners to ensure safeguards are in place, helping members stay in control of their play while enjoying the competition and strategy DFS offers.

Q: Would you say that the RG practices used by traditional gaming and DFS companies should follow the same recommendations, or are there distinctions in the crowds that are exposed to the two segments, their propensity for gaming, and their risk levels?

While DFS and traditional gambling are legally distinct, the framework around responsible gaming and best practices is quite similar for both offerings. Regardless of the differences in gameplay, the need for foundational RG tools—such as self-exclusion, deposit limits, and player education—remains vital.

In addition to these tools, we consistently look to go above and beyond the standard, notably through our partnerships with Kindbridge and EPIC. Our goal is to continue leading the charge in RG across the gaming industry and offer market-leading tools to our members.

Q: What do you think is next for PrizePicks’ RG efforts?

We are committed to continually enhancing our responsible gaming initiatives at PrizePicks. This includes expanding our educational efforts, integrating more personalized player tools, and leveraging data analytics to identify and support at-risk players more effectively.

We also aim to drive future RG efforts with ongoing research to better understand player behavior and refine our strategies through the eventual integration of AI tools. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of responsible gaming practices, ensuring that we are not only innovating in the DFS space for our players but are continuing to be a leader in player safety and well-being.

Image credit: Casino Guru News