Playbook in 60 Seconds
Print this. Pin it where you can see it. Read it before your next shift.
A job aid — not a training module. It assumes you’ve completed both All Employees modules and passed them. Anything unfamiliar here? Revisit the relevant module first.
What Playbook IS — and IS NOT
| Playbook IS | Playbook is NOT |
|---|---|
| A content and media brand | A clinical resource |
| The educational layer of the experience | A regulatory checkbox |
| Built like marketing, not compliance | Anti-gambling, paternalistic, or a substitute for professional help |
One sentence: Playbook is a content and media brand — the educational and awareness layer that helps players understand how gambling actually works.
The four concepts that drive everything
| Concept | One-line definition |
|---|---|
| Engagement Gap | Why traditional RG content fails — invisible, clinical, generic, disconnected from the brand. Industry’s problem. |
| Knowledge Gap | What players are missing — game mechanics, house edges, strategy, real risks, available tools. Player’s problem. |
| Informed Choice Model | Four elements: clear, practical information; meaningful choices; accessible support; shared responsibility. |
| Two Pillars | Open — “No fine print” (transparency). Social — “Worth sharing” (content built to travel). |
The filter: Does this make things more transparent? Does this make people want to share it? If neither — it’s not Playbook content.
The two tiers — context, not topic
| Tier 1 — routine | Tier 2 — support | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Entertainment literacy | Support and crisis |
| Tone | Confident, informative, sometimes witty | Warm, direct, no humor |
| When | Player is browsing, playing, curious | Player is seeking help, in distress |
| Sounds like | A friend who knows the game | A calm, steady presence |
Same helpline number, different emotional register depending on where it appears. The four-question checklist — what is the player doing right now / what state are they in / what do we want them to do / would humor feel okay here — decides the tier. When in doubt, go warmer.
Top 10 stigma-free language swaps
| # | Don’t use | Use instead |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Problem gambler | Player |
| 2 | Responsible gambling | Set a budget / Know the odds |
| 3 | Gambler | Player |
| 4 | Gambling addiction | Difficulty with gambling |
| 5 | Self-exclude (in Tier 1) | Take a break / Pause your account |
| 6 | Intervention | Feature / Tool |
| 7 | Reality check | Session reminder |
| 8 | You should | You can |
| 9 | WARNING | Heads up |
| 10 | Odds are against you | The house edge is [specific number] |
The principle: put the person before the condition. Describe behaviors, not people. Offer options, not mandates.
When to escalate to Tier 2
Stop what you’re doing and shift to Tier 2 if the player shows any of these:
- Emotional distress — crying, despair, angry outbursts directed inward
- Financial crisis — can’t pay bills, mentions debt, asks to borrow money
- “I can’t stop” or “I don’t know what to do”
- Any mention of self-harm or hopelessness — activate the crisis protocol immediately
When in doubt, go warmer. It is always safe to be kind. It is never safe to be glib.
Helpline: 1-800-522-4700 — free, confidential, 24/7.
Glossary — quick definitions
- Stigma-free language: word choices that describe behaviors, not people. “Player,” not “problem gambler.”
- Person-first language: the broader principle behind stigma-free swaps — the person comes before any condition or label.
- Open pillar: Playbook‘s transparency commitment. Tagline: No fine print.
- Social pillar: Playbook‘s shareability commitment. Tagline: Worth sharing.
- Tier 1: the routine voice — confident, informative, sometimes witty.
- Tier 2: the support voice — warm, direct, no humor.