FDM Group: Five aces for safer gambling

June 23, 2025 knownow-admin

We can’t wait to host our 7th Annual Conference in September at the FDM Group office in London.

FDM is a global network of leaders powering the people behind technology and innovation. They offer expertise in technology, data, risk management, and regulatory compliance to help gambling companies stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.

Read on to find out more about FDM Group as they present their Five Aces for Safer Gambling…

Five aces for safer gambling.

Two out of every fifth British adult has spent money on gambling. That’s an estimated 23.6 million people in the United Kingdom. The gambling industry generated a whopping £15.1 billion in Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in 2024, making it a significant contributor to the economy.

But as the UK Gambling Commission enforces new rules around stricter affordability checks, online slot stake limits, and anti-money laundering (AML), the industry is under mounting pressure to better detect harmful gambling behaviour and build safer platforms for players.

A new gambling ombudsman is also being established to enhance consumer protection.

This shows a growing emphasis on responsible gambling and consumer safety in a digitally driven market.

On the bright side, safer gambling measures have led the national problem gambling rate to drop to 0.2%, whilst over 220,000 people have registered for self-exclusion – an increase of 10% year-on-year.

This also highlights a need for tech talent that spans risk management, compliance, legal and customer protection solutions.

Coming up short.

The sector currently employs over 106,000 people. However, there is a growing demand for skills to help mitigate fraud and cybersecurity risks and keep up with frequent regulation changes by the Gambling Commission.

There are three main reasons the industry faces a skills shortage:

1. Gambling struggles to attract talent due to its image and lack of visibility among people outside the industry.
2. Operators don’t have access to cost-effective and diverse talent pipelines.
3. There is mass underutilisation of resources like the Apprenticeship Levy or trained early-career talent pools.

The skills shortage is one among several key challenges facing the gambling industry today.

Frequent regulation changes require constant platform updates, causing friction in the user journey and potentially cutting revenue.

Additionally, online gambling has low brand loyalty, with users chasing better odds or bonuses.

Finally, political scrutiny, pressure from advocacy groups, and public and media backlash against the harms of gambling may lead to tighter restrictions and advertising bans in future.

Safeguarding safer gambling.

With heavier fines and licence suspensions for compliance breaches, platforms are under pressure to detect problem gambling behaviour early on and use proactive measures to ensure safer betting practices.

Given the high stakes, we’ve identified the top five most in-demand skills in the gambling industry right now.

1. Regulatory compliance and legal expertise.
Operators will need to conduct more rigorous financial health assessments to ensure customers can afford to gamble, aiming to prevent players from betting beyond their means. This calls for a deep understanding of UKGC regulations, safer gambling policies, and data protection laws (e.g., GDPR).

It also requires the ability to implement, monitor, and audit policies related to responsible gambling and affordability checks.

Key new rules from the Gambling Act Review mandate:
 Financial risk checks at £125 net loss over 30 days or £500 over a year
 Online slot stake limit of max £2 for ages 18 – 24
 Online slot stake limit of max £5 for ages 25+

2. Data analytics and risk monitoring.
High risk of account takeovers, bonus abuse, and identity fraud requires continuous investment in cybersecurity, KYC, and payment verification tools. There is high demand for advanced data analysis to detect problem gambling behaviour, fraud patterns, and financial risk.

Additionally, skills in predictive modelling, machine learning, and real-time monitoring systems are needed to safeguard user data and ensure secure transactions.

3. Cybersecurity and fraud prevention.
Online gambling currently makes up £6.6 billion of the total GGY – an estimated 41% of the market share. Online casino games dominate remote gambling, followed by sports betting and finally, remote bingo.

This surge in remote gambling has seen a consequent spike in cyber threats and digital fraud. Gambling companies need to safeguard their platforms from increasingly sophisticated threats with expertise across anti-fraud tools, implementing secure payment gateways, and secure user authentication.

4. Software development and platform engineering.
Technical proficiency in software development enables platforms to integrate tools like GAMSTOP and build compliant, user-friendly systems. Additionally, user experience and ethical design skills help create responsible gambling interfaces that balance engagement with protection.

5. Customer support and safeguarding.
There is growing demand for skilled customer support teams trained in identifying vulnerable users, crisis communication, and escalation protocols. As part of the Gambling Commission’s new safer gambling initiatives, a mandatory levy on gambling profits will be introduced to fund treatment services and research into gambling addiction.

This calls for knowledge of mental health support frameworks and referral pathways.

Playing your cards right.

FDM is a strategic partner to the gambling sector, helping operators meet compliance, digital transformation, and build a diverse, skilled workforce ready to integrate seamlessly into client teams. Our blended teams of multi-generational talent – from our apprentices and graduates to seasoned professionals returning to work after a career break or our ex-forces consultants with their valuable transferable skills – provide the best in-class talent to your teams.

Our diverse consultant network is powered by five core Practices – Software Engineering, Data & Analytics, Change & Transformation, IT Operations and Risk, Regulation & Compliance – providing the capabilities operators need to stay ahead.

FDM Consultants have experience with agile development, cloud infrastructure, and real-time data processing. They also have capabilities in UX/UI, with a mobile-first design approach focused on accessibility and clear user consent features.

Our data analysts and risk consultants can also support the deployment of real-time monitoring tools to detect gambling-related harm or financial risk, whilst cybersecurity consultants can strengthen platforms against fraud and ensure robust identity verification processes.

With our focus on developing talent in technology, data, risk, and business analysis, FDM is well-positioned to help gambling operators adapt to stricter regulations, modernise legacy systems, and implement safer gambling practices.

Safer gambling app.

At FDM, our Pods are key to upskilling our consultants. Our experiential learning empowers consultants with hands-on problem-solving skills within a simulated client environment and encourages agility and adaptability. The practical experience showcases their potential and better prepares them for the dynamic challenges of the workplace.

As part of our consultants’ upskilling, they were tasked with building a safer gaming app that could assess the gambling habits and potential risk appetite of 16–24-year-olds.

A team of 12 consultants took a three-step approach to building the app. The first step was research through a questionnaire to gather insights on player sentiments towards gambling. The second step was a game to assess their risk appetite, which led to a final evaluation of the result.

Want to see our consultants live and in-action? Book a demo today.

Top trumps

A major online gambling company came to FDM in search of a more sustainable way to build a diverse pipeline of talent, predominantly in the data and software engineering space. FDM built a bespoke programme for them by leveraging our year-round pool of talent.

Over a four-year partnership, we assigned consultants on multiple projects across Customer Experience Delivery (CED), data engineering projects, such as integrating Kafka-based pipelines for a MarTech CRM migration, React development and testing, and ongoing UI enhancements for a mobile site.

Final thoughts

In high-risk, high-reward industries like gambling, your people are the most powerful lever for change. If you’re serious about safer gambling, it’s time to rethink your talent strategy.
Want to build a workforce ready for the future of safer gambling? Contact us to speak to our Consultancy Services Team today.