Creative Director, Tom Atfield, and Associate Director Will Whitehead from World Lottery Association (WLA) Associate Member mkodo have shared some of their lottery industry insights regarding digital products and how they relate to accessibility and responsible gaming.
The pair issued their views during an exclusive webinar hosted by mkodo which addressed digital product design, specifically how a significant number of people are affected by different impairments or reading and learning difficulties that could make it harder for them to access and use different products.
An example of this can be seen in the UK where 22% of the population has some kind of disability. Organisations could potentially risk isolating this group by not ensuring their websites are accessible.
In order to avoid that trap, WLA member lotteries have been encouraged to adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which aim to provide equal access to people with disabilities and to ensure that their digital offering is as inclusive as possible.
mkodo’s director’s explained that there are a lot of different design and usability elements to consider. These factors range from the colour scale and navigation tools to the font size and voiceover options, that could all help customers with certain needs.
During the webinar, delegates were advised that all contribute to the user experience, too, which is really the key to achieving inclusivity. An easy registration process, for example, should not be underestimated.
The mkodo team also warned that people can often ‘drop off’ if this process is too ‘clunky or difficult’, adding that a clear navigation structure and concise information will help build trust with customers through equality and transparency.
mkodo’s webinar also touched on responsible gaming, looking at the best practices to make RG tools easy to find and understand, as well as how to factor personalisation into RG, prompting action to keep players safe.
A WLA statement concluded: “The webinar highlighted that RG should not be a barrier to play but a facilitator to play safe – a point which I’m sure resonated with most of the audiences. To best support users from the front-end of digital products, lotteries should again include RG mechanisms from the start of the customer journey.
“Data visualisation and presentation can help players better understand their behaviour and positive messaging is preferred to negative warnings to encourage the use of RG tools. Operators can leverage player data to help personalise RG tools and better engage players, too.”