Q&A: George Kidd, Senet Group CEO
EGR talks to the former online dating regulator about his views on the egaming industry and plans for the industry body's future
From dating to gambling, Senet Group’s new chief executive officer has only been in his new role for under a month but has already seen the similarities between the two industries.
Taking over from Ron Finlay, Kidd joins the group with years of experience in regulation across a variety of industries, most recently with the Online Dating Association.
eGaming Review spoke to Senet Group’s new CEO to find out his views on the egaming industry and what plans he has in store for the self-regulatory body.
eGaming Review (EGR): Why did you take on the CEO role at the Senet Group?
George Kidd (GK): I think there’s two reasons really. It’s what I do â regulation, self-regulation is quite interesting, challenging, high profile circumstances. I’ve regulated premium rate services, fundraising, legal services, direct marketing activity and other areas. I hope I’m a very natural fit and I enjoy the challenge of proving that those forms of regulation really do work and can often work better than statutory regulation.
The other reason is because I believe Senet does important work and it matters. It’s something that I believe I’m good at and can bring something to.
EGR: Was there anything particular about the online gaming industry that drew you into this role?
GK: In my most recent role with the Online Dating Association, there are huge similarities with the online and offline aspects. Some people in dating might regard the established dating companies such as Match, eHarmony and Guardian Soulmates as now slightly old school. For some it is now all about Tinder and a host of other mobile apps. In fact, 70-80% of the so-called established old school firms business is on smartphone, on tablets and via apps. It is similarly difficult to make meaningful separations between firms that might seem online on high-street when the distinction has become a false one.
As with dating there are different user groups in the [egaming] industry. The stereotypical guy in a betting shop might be very different from some in the online betting community but many others will use both on and offline services.
EGR: Are you much of a bettor yourself?
GK: Once a year, if Millwall are in the play-offs! It’s like giving to charity. But no I don’t really gamble. One of the things the Senet Group board wanted was someone who could understand the industry, but not someone from within.
EGR: What’s your thoughts on the current state of the egaming market?
GK: It’s still early days for me, but I see it as a dynamic industry, with the mergers and acquisitions taking place, and the move to online. I think the government has made a brave stab at regulating the market for the times, but I think it’s hard for them as they are always playing catch up with social habits and technology.
Technology is interesting because as with online dating, it can be your friend and enemy. You have to understand what it can do for and to you. For example in dating, you have fraudsters creating virtual bots and trying to take people’s money, equally technology allows you to be far better at spotting those sort of things
EGR: What are your immediate plans for the Senet?
GK: We will be inheriting the multi operator social-exclusion scheme, so we’ve got to understand that and make it work as best as we can.
Elsewhere, we’ll be working closely with the Responsible Gambling Trust around messaging. I think the messages Senet sends out, particularly “When the fun stops stop” are very strong and capture that critical difference between an activity which is fun for the vast majority and those whose problems can change that feeling. There is every reason to not lose sight of what works, but, at the same time, to do research across the sector to understand what resonates with different part of the population and with different forms of gambling.
Certainly I’ll be looking to build on a particular strength here which is the enforceable commitments made by Senet members. The fact these are commitments made by the membership goes to a fundamental strength of self-regulation; they are proposed by and/or agreed with the sector and embraced, not imposed.