Lori Kalani Lands First Chief Responsible Gaming Officer Position at DraftKings

Article by : Milena Petrovska Apr 25, 2024

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DraftKings has announced that Lori Kalani will become the company’s first chief responsible gaming officer. In her new position, Kalani will report directly to Jason Robins, the CEO of the US’ leading betting company.

Kalani will enhance all activities related to player protection and safety, both essential topics in the growing American market.

According to DraftKings, Kalani has extensive experience analyzing and understanding regulatory environments. The company noted that her expertise in this field made her the ideal choice as the new chief responsible gaming officer.

On her LinkedIn profile, Kalani describes herself as a “strategic thinker and planner, pioneer and innovator, a leading business lawyer specializing in state attorneys general counseling & investigations.

Her professional experiences include being a shareholder and co-chair at Cozen O’Connor, a partner at Dickstein Shapiro LLP, and a senior counsel at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

Kalani “Eager” to Boost DraftKings’ Responsible Gaming Efforts

While speaking about the new appointment, Kalani stated that she was “eager to partner with colleagues,” industry leaders, advocates, and regulators to solidify DraftKings’ dedication towards responsible gaming.

She also added that she admired DraftKings’s impact and noted that it was exactly what brought all gambling enthusiasts together. In conclusion, Kalani promised that she would continue to help the entertainment giant promote a “healthy gaming environment for all customers.”

Robins also decided to share some words on the development.

He said that responsible gambling was among DraftKings’ top priorities and a core part of the company. He expressed belief that Kalani would “further advance our responsible gaming initiatives” and would help DraftKings set industry standards in the field.

A few of the tools that DraftKings uses to maximize responsible gaming are third-party collaborations, employee training, research based on evidence, as well as proprietary technology. Kalani will oversee these tools and make sure that they are more effective in the coming period.

Some of the Responsibility Lies With the Customers

Robins noted in a recent interview that customers share some of the responsibility. While talking to Fortune, Robins acknowledged the importance of having and implementing effective tools that would ensure a safe gaming environment for players.

He explained that a gambling company’s duty is to identify players at risk and get them the help they need. But in the end, it all came down to players themselves deciding “that they want to change that behavior.”

During the interview, Robins touched on the use of AI and said that DraftKings wasn’t using this technology at the moment.

He said that the DraftKings team wanted to build an environment and products for players who should have access to them. Regarding problem gamblers, he noted that the goal was to try not to have them “play the product.”

Move Comes at GambleAware Warns of Gambling Ads Targeting Young People

A new study commissioned by GambleAware found that the online spaces occupied by children are packed with content related to gambling.

According to the organization, these kids don’t understand the risks associated with online gambling because companies are using tools that are in the grey area. By grey area, GambleAware means tools that bridge gambling-like activities and gambling itself.

One such tool is loot boxes.

The study was conducted in the UK and included interviews with children aged 7-25.

GambleAware stated that many of the children reported that gambling and gaming look alike. According to the study, a majority of the respondents said that they are more than open to the idea of having gambling harm education in schools.