Paul Buck runs Epic Global Solutions and he’s heading to New York next week for the UN’s 80th General Assembly meeting on September 23. The company’s founder won’t be speaking alone though – Dean Hestermann from Caesars Entertainment will join him on the panel, along with Jamie Wiebe from Crown Resorts and Rasmus Kjaergaard from Mindway AI.
The Hard Rock Hotel in Manhattan is hosting the event, where about 100 guests are expected to show up. These aren’t just random attendees either – Buck says they’re all people “who have roles around the world that allow them to influence gambling policy.”
Why this framework discussion matters now
Buck thinks the industry has gotten prevention wrong. “Prevention is sometimes just seen as a ‘nice-to-have,’ or something that’s going to suck away the profit of an organisation,” he said. He flips that thinking completely. Responsible gaming actually protects the regulated market because “by undertaking RG and reducing harm, you’re far less likely to push people over to the unregulated black market where harm is more likely to go undetected.”
That’s a big deal for any regulated industry trying to stay sustainable, whether it’s a mature market or a newly licensed one.
What the new framework includes
The group will discuss creating a global framework for preventing gambling-related harm that hasn’t been widely available before this event. Buck calls it the Responsible Gambling Triple-P Framework, which focuses on three main pillars. Education comes first, followed by informed choice and harm prevention. Risk detection and intervention round out the approach.
“There are going to be some big hitters in the room there to discuss how it could work,” Buck said, so the framework should get some serious scrutiny from people who actually make policy decisions.
How this could change industry standards
Buck wants the audience to challenge everything they present. “They’ll be encouraged to interrogate our thoughts, ask questions and look to come up with their own conclusions,” he explained. That’s smart since these 100 guests influence gambling policy worldwide. Epic Global already does this work – they partnered with Underdog Fantasy back in May to deliver responsible gaming workshops using personal storytelling and staff training.
Buck expects the UN discussion will create ripple effects. “We trust that our contribution will provoke some very interesting new discussion on how it could all come together as a guide to use around the world.” The meeting aims to improve player protection standards globally while prompting ongoing discussions for modernized gambling policies.
