The majority of Poker players play in moderation as a means of entertainment. But behaviors which are negligible when undertaken to a reasonable extent (such as shopping, playing sports, eating or the consumption of alcohol) can escalate for some people and become a problem. In the same way, participation in gaming can lead to problems for a small group of customers.

In order to offer customers the best possible support, all user contact which is related to responsible gaming is dealt with by a dedicated "Responsible Gaming" team within the customer support department. For a number of years, bwin has worked together with the renowned Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. This team works on recommendations for customers on the extent to which it is possible for them to play responsibly. In cases which can be traced back to gaming addiction, further participation in the gaming line-up is prohibited. The customer then receives support and advice on how to find professional assistance in their area.

A pioneer of addiction research, the Division on Addiction (DOA), Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, has been conducting studies in cooperation with PokerRoom since 2005, examining gaming behaviour in sports betting, casino, poker and other online games. The scientific analysis and results of the studies have brought about a paradigm shift in addiction research.
One of the core goals of this cooperation is to create a scientific basis for the development of a secure and entertaining gaming environment.

• This research project will enable programs to be developed which can avoid the further development of gaming-related problems that users already suffer from.
• In order to achieve this goal, we are working on the creation of a scientific basis which provides algorithms that can identify risk patterns of gaming-related problems.

The continuing results of the studies not only provide the international scientific community with the empirical basis which has long been lacking in the area of addiction research. It ensures that PokerRoom can implement its vision of a "safe and recreational gaming environment" – i.e. a gaming line-up which is both entertaining and secure – on the basis of scientifically proven Responsible Gaming measures.